Hoenn League Challenge: Journey of Eric Knight
by MasterFreezeman
Summary: Eric Knight is a new trainer with dreams carried on the wind. Join him and a cast of many others as he journeys through the Hoenn region and wins his way to the Pokemon League and deals with a reformed Team Rocket. OCs are accepted, details inside.
1. Prologue

**Author's Note: Oh hey there. I decided I wanted to try my hand at an adventure story this time. I've put my other story (Great Victory Tournament) on hold for now so I can focus on this. This story takes place several decades after the Team Magma/Team Aqua crisis. This will feature a new OC I came up with recently. I will be accepting user-submitted OCs for this; the form will be at the end of this prologue chapter. So, without further ado, let's get this show on the road!**

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><p>Hoenn League Challenge: Journey of Eric Knight<p>

Prologue

The sun was setting after what had been a beautiful day in Littleroot Town. A light breeze blew through the town, a welcome refreshment for those in need of it. For the past thirty years, the people of the Hoenn region have lived in relative peace. The crisis that had taken place thirty years earlier involving two fanatical groups, Team Magma and Team Aqua, and the reawakening of the ancient legendary Pokemon Groudon and Kyogre had become a distant memory thanks to the efforts of a young trainer who had awakened the legendary guardian of the sky, Rayquaza, to calm the raiser of the continents and the spreader of the seas. Since that day, the entire region of Hoenn has been able to live peacefully, without the need to fear the destruction of their homeland again. Now, the people of Hoenn could enjoy watching the ever-popular Pokemon Contests as well as the Hoenn League competition each year. Aspiring new trainers and coordinaters were at an all-time high in Hoenn.

Walking home from the local store was one such person: an aspiring young Pokemon Trainer by the name of Eric Knight. For a boy of 14 years of age, he was quite tall, standing at 5'6". His dark brown hair reached just down to his shoulders and occasionally caught some air underneath when the breeze blew. He sported his normal attire of a black t-shirt with patterns that looked like a blowing wind on it, a regular pair of denim jeans, blue, black, and white sneakers, and a sky blue and white cap.

His friends had branded him with the nickname 'Knight of the Wind' because of his surname, Knight, and his tendency to say things related to the wind or the sky. As he walked back from the store, he occasionally paused to stare up into the sky and allow the breeze to just wash over him. 'What I would give to soar like an eagle,' he would constantly think. Eric was born and raised in Littleroot Town and had never really experienced much outside of it and the next town up, Oldale. He would space out every so often when he thought about the world outside of Littleroot and Oldale, and what he would give to ride the winds to wherever he pleased. Now, however, he had something else to space out about: he was to become an official Pokemon Trainer tomorrow. A few months back, he and a few of his friends had received a letter from Professor Birch, the Hoenn region's leading authority on Pokemon. Just the thought of actually going on a journey across the whole region got any young trainer-to-be excited, but Eric was almost ecstatic, as now he could finally see everything he dreamed of. By the time he was ten, old enough to actually be a trainer, he had grown fed up with living in Littleroot. He always wanted to just go wherever the wind took him, as long as it was away from his boring life in Littleroot. He snapped out of his daze as he remembered he was going to the lab tomorrow to get his first Pokemon and embark on a journey. Picking up the pace, he jogged to his house on the east end of town.

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><p>The smell of sizzling steaks wafted through the kitchen of Eric's house. His mom, Meredith, was known for making the best steak in Littleroot, and guests were often invited to the house so they could get a taste of the steak. Eric opened the door and was greeted by the smell of the cooking steak.<p>

"Hey, mom, steak for dinner tonight?" he asked.

"Yep," Meredith replied. "I know how much you love steak, and since you're leaving tomorrow, I figured I'd make the best recipe I've got in my repertoire". Eric's mouth began to water.

"Oh man, can't wait for it," Eric said dreamily. Since he was just a little kid, he had loved pretty much every form of steak he had ever eaten. He set some plastic bags down on the counter separating the kitchen from the dining area and then headed upstairs. In his room, he took off his hat and fired up his computer. As he waited for his computer to boot up, he read over the letter he had received from Professor Birch the other day.

_Dear Eric,_

_Congratulations! You and two other young, aspiring trainers are ready to receive a Pokemon and set out on your journeys! Three Pokemon await your decision here at the lab. They are Treecko, a Grass-type Pokemon, Torchic, a Fire-type Pokemon, and Mudkip, a Water-type Pokemon. I would highly advise you think long and hard about your choice; the Pokemon you pick will be your trusted partner. Please meet me at my lab this Monday at 9:00 am. I'm looking forward to seeing you there. I wish you well._

_-Professor Birch_

After reading the letter to himself for the twentieth time, Eric folded it up and put it back on his desk. He let the smell of the cooking steaks wafting from the kitchen wash over him and his mouth began to water again. 'I can't wait for tomorrow,' he thought, so excited to finally be leaving Littleroot Town. He felt like he was hardly going to be able to sleep that night.

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><p><strong>Ok, that's the prologue done. Short, yes, but it's served its purpose.<strong>

**All right, now for the OC submission form. Here's what I'll be accepting: a Rival for Eric, two traveling companions/childhood friends (one male, one female) that will be introduced in the next chapter, eight Gym Leaders, four Elite Four members, the Champion, some random trainers, and anything else I outline in future chapters. Here's the general form:**

_**Name:**_

_**Nickname(s):**_

_**Age:**_

_**Gender:**_

_**Hometown: (if your character is a random trainer, traveling companion, or the rival, it must be in the Hoenn region)**_

_**Appearance:**_

_**Clothing:**_

_**Personality:**_

_**History/Background:**_

_**What they think of Eric:**_

_**Pokemon: (this only applies to random trainers, Gym Leaders, Elite Four, and the Champion)**_

_**Pokemon species:**_

_**Nickname (if applicable):**_

_**Ability:**_

_**Moves:**_

**For Gym Leaders 1-3 (Rustboro, Dewford, Mauville), they may have a maximum of 3 Pokemon. Gym Leaders 4-6 (Lavaridge, Petalburg, Fortree) may have up to 4 Pokemon and Leaders 7 &8 (Mossdeep, Sootopolis) may have up to five. Elite Four members must have 5 Pokemon, and the Champion must have a full team of 6.**

**If I forgot anything, I'll edit this chapter to add it in. So, please submit some OCs for this, 'cuz it won't go on without OCs.**

**Until next time, MasterFreezeman out.**


	2. The Journey Begins

Chapter 1: The Journey Begins

The sun rose bright and early in Littleroot Town. The sounds of Taillow chirping and Zigzagoon scurrying about were the only sounds to be heard this early. Despite it being not even 6:30 in the morning, though, a certain brown-haired boy found himself up and out of bed. Rubbing his eyes, Eric grabbed a clean pair of clothes and hit the shower. Once done with that, he felt quite refreshed and ready to tackle anything life threw at him today. He started to make his way downstairs so he could get something to eat. When he reached the bottom of the stairwell, he flipped the light switch so he could actually see more than what was already illuminated by the rising sun. The moment he flipped the switch, however, his mom popped out from around the corner.

"Surprise!" his mom said as she seemingly came out of nowhere, startling Eric.

"Whoa!" Eric shouted in surprise. He stumbled backwards a few steps, but regained his balance. He then looked behind his mom and saw that half the town had been hiding themselves in the living room and had revealed themselves right after Eric's mom had surprised him. Eric just stared, slightly slack-jawed.

"I invited pretty much everyone we know," Eric's mom explained. "We all thought it would be fun to surprise you before you left and throw a little party".

"Wow, thanks guys. This... really means a lot to me," Eric said. "Say mom, what about food?" His mom giggled a little.

"Don't worry, I've taken care of that already," she said as she pointed at the dining room table. A nice spread of food was set at the table, including mini hot dogs, wings, and other assorted finger foods. "Go ahead, people, dig in!" The small crowd of people began charging towards the food and Eric had to dive out of the way to avoid getting trampled.

"Whoa, watch out, there, guys!" he exclaimed as he dove. He quickly got in the line that had formed for the food and grabbed a few things, then sat down before all the seats could be taken. Several people came up to him and wished him well for his journey. Some of his friends told him they were envious of him as they wanted to go on a journey too and get their own Pokemon. Eric would generally reply with "Someday soon, I'm sure. You know how quickly Professor Birch gets Pokemon". After he had finished eating, he engaged in conversation with a few other people in the room, including a few of his friends. The room had become quite noisy with all the separate conversations going on. The little party lasted for the next two hours, when finally, Eric's mom decided that it was time for Eric to get to Professor Birch's lab.

"All right, guys, it's 8:30, so Eric has to get going. The lab's on the south side of town, so it might take him a little while to get there," she announced. Everybody stopped talking immediately and turned to Eric.

:What, why's everyone looking at me?" Eric asked. "Stop it, guys, you're embarrassing me". He then got up and went over to his mom, who then dismissed everyone else. Once the last person was out the door, she shut it and went back over to Eric.

"Eric... I'm so happy for you," she began. "You're becoming a responsible young man now. I remember setting out on a journey when I was a little younger that you are now. I wasn't very serious about it, so I eventually just settled down here in Littleroot and met your father. But, you've got potential. I think you might be able to go all the way and be a top-rank trainer some day. No, as a matter of fact, I know you will. You've got dreams to chase, and I have complete confidence in you, dear. You're gonna go far".

"Alright, alright, I get it, you're embarrassing me, mom," Eric interrupted. A smile broke across his mom's face.

"Isn't that a mom's job, though?" she teased. Eric rolled his eyes in response, but his mom knew he was just messing around. She then reached into the closet and pulled out a red and black backpack specifically designed for trainers. "New backpack for you," she said. "Figured you would need something better suited for a long journey, and I thought you might like the colors". She tossed the backpack to Eric, who caught it and slung it around his shoulders.

"Thanks mom, I kinda did need a new backpack anyways," he replied. He then grabbed his new shoes, which had just been broken in recently, laced them up, then ran back upstairs to grab a few essential items he would need. He ran back downstairs fully prepared to set out. His mom gave him a smile and hugged him.

"You take care out there, ok?" she said. "I don't want to be getting phone calls saying you've gotten into some really big trouble, got that?" Eric slugged her in the arm for that.

"Mom, you know I don't get into trouble".

"Yeah, I know, but still, try not to, ok?"

"Alright, mom, I won't". They broke off the hug and Eric started for the door, noticing the time was now 8:45. "See you, mom!" he said as he opened the door.

"Good luck, son! Make me proud!" his mom called after him as he bolted out the door. She then shut the door and took a seat as she thought about all the great things Eric could accomplish as a trainer.

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><p>From the east side of town, the walk to Professor Birch's lab was about a ten to fifteen minute walk. However, Eric knew of a shortcut that shaved five minutes off of the normal time. He headed directly south onto what appeared to be a bike trail and sprinted along it. Before long, the green roof of the lab was in sight. Eric picked up the pace and arrived at the lab at 8:55. He tried to open the large, opaque glass double doors, but they were locked tight. Eric sighed and waited. Just then, from somewhere behind him, he heard someone calling his name.<p>

"Yo, Eric!" the voice called. The voice definitely sounded male. Eric turned around and saw who it was.

"Josh, is that you?" he asked. This was his childhood friend, Joshua Anderson. He was the same age as Eric, and they had been friends for as long as they could remember.

"Yep. Man, this is awesome. I'm getting to go an an adventure with my very own Pokemon! How cool is that, dude?" Josh said as he ran up the stairs to the double doors. He appeared to be around the same height as Eric, 5'6". His hair was a lighter shade of brown than Eric's, and though short, it was quite messy. His ocean blue eyes shone with excitement.

"This is pretty cool, all right," Eric agreed, running a hand through his dark brown hair. "I've been waiting for the chance to get out of Littleroot, that's for sure".

"What's wrong with Littleroot?" Josh asked, adjusting the collar of his red and black t-shirt and then stuffing his hands in the pockets of his light blue jeans.

"It's just boring here," Eric replied. "There's never really anything to do. I've always wanted to just get away from this drab life. I don't care where I go. I'll go wherever the wind takes me, as long as I can experience some fun".

"I get it," Josh said. "I sorta feel the same way. Littleroot Town is just too small to offer a bunch of fun, so I think it would be nice to get away. I just couldn't wait to get my own Pokemon and get out there to see the world, meet some new people, challenge other trainers, and even beat some Gyms".

"Got some big goals there," Eric responded. "I think I might as well challenge the Gyms too. Who knows, maybe I could beat the Champion one day".

"Hey man, slow down. We haven't even gotten our Pokemon yet," Josh laughed. Eric chuckled a little. Josh spoke up again. "Hey, speaking of getting Pokemon, the letter we got from the professor said there were gonna be three people here to get Pokemon. Obviously, we're two of the three, but who's the last person?"

"Hmm... good question," Eric replied. He was about to think of who the third person could be when his question was answered by someone coming around the corner.

"That would be me," a feminine voice said. The two boys turned to see who said that. From around the corner came a girl of similar age to them. She had curly brown hair that reached the middle of her back, with straightened bangs hanging over her forehead. She was clad in a white off-the-shoulders shirt with billowy sleeves reaching to her elbows and black leggings that went into black knee-high boots. She ascended the stairs quickly. Up close, the boys could see she was slightly shorter than they were. She had brown eyes and her nose was small and pointed. All of her facial features were quite sharp. She was very slender and curvy, and looked very light. Eric extended his hand to her.

"Well, that answers my question," he said. "The name's Eric Knight, and this is my best friend Josh Anderson". He pointed to Josh, who nodded. The girl then shook Eric's hand.

"Nice to meet you two. My name's Katrina Aeris," she said. After shaking Eric's hand, she shook Josh's.

"Nice meeting you, Katrina," Josh said. After shaking hands, they turned to face the double doors, which were still locked despite the time reading 9:05. "Man, we're here on time, but the Professor's late. How lame is that?" Josh remarked.

"Not very convenient, that's for sure," Eric replied.

"And here we are, ready to get our Pokemon, and we've got to wait past the scheduled time," Katrina started. "I feel like every important event gets delayed or something".

"Ha, you might just be right," Josh responded. The group waited for another ten minutes before Katrina had finally had enough.

"Argh... you know what, I'm gonna smash these doors down if I have to," she fumed. She them marched up to the door and began to pound it. "Hey, is anyone even in there? Open up!" The boys just chuckled. Katrina geared up for a harder whack on the door, but just then, the door opened and Katrina had to hold up, or she would've hit the man standing there. Eric and Josh just laughed again. Katrina glared back at them and mouthed 'Not funny, guys'. She turned around and the boys settled down. The man in the doorway looked at them and then nodded. He looked fairly old, with white hair and a white beard. He wore a lab coat with a light blue shirt underneath and khaki shorts. Eric, Josh, and Katrina recognized him instantly as Professor Birch. Thirty years ago, Professor Birch would have looked much the same sans the white hair and beard that came with old age. The professor eyes the three, then spoke up.

"I assume you three are Eric Knight, Joshua Anderson, and Katrina Aeris, am I right?" he asked.

"Yep, that's us," Katrina replied. The boys nodded.

"Well then, I'm terribly sorry to have kept you waiting," Professor Birch said. His voice was somewhere between that of a young man's and a gruff old man's as it maintained some of his youthful exuberance of thirty years ago. "Come on in, you three". He stepped out of the doorway to allow the group in. They walked into the lab and the professor shut the door behind them. "This way," he beckoned to them as he led them to the back of the lab. As they followed the professor, they would occasionally turn to see an aide working on a report or some machines analyzing data. Once they reached the back of the lab, the professor stopped them.

"So, is this where you keep the Pokemon?" Josh asked.

"Yes, this is," Birch responded. He went over to a small machine in the center of the room and pressed a button. The dome covering the top of the machine opened and three Poke Balls were uncovered. The group gathered around.

"Oh, cool, the Pokemon are here!" Josh said.

"Indeed," the professor piped up. "Now, I hope you three have thought carefully on which one you'd like. Like I said in the letter, this Pokemon will be your trusted partner".

"Yeah, you're right," Katrina said. "So, which one of us is gonna pick first?"

"I don't know. Rock, Paper, Scissors on it?" Josh suggested.

"I'm game," Eric replied. Katrina just shrugged and held out her hand, ready to play.

"Ok then," Josh said. "Two losses and you're out". They started then. Round one resulted in Eric winning with scissors against both Josh and Katrina, who had chosen paper. Next, Katrina beat Eric with paper as he chose rock and tied with Josh, so it did not count as two losses for Eric. Josh then beat Katrina with rock, so Katrina was out. With one loss apiece, it was down to just Eric and Josh. They tied three times, two with scissors and once with rock, but Eric outdueled Josh in the end, trumping him with paper over rock. Eric was to go first, then Josh, then Katrina. Eric approached the machine and eyed the Poke Balls.

"I've been thinking for quite a while about which one I want. They all look cool. In the end, though, I guess I was just drawn to this one. I choose... Torchic!" He reached for the Poke Ball with a small fire symbol on it and pressed the button. The ball opened and a white light shot out. On the nearby table, an orange chick with beady black eyes, yellow feathers where wings could possibly have been if it could fly, and three yellow feathers protruding from the top of its head had emerged from the light. It gave a small sound as it hopped off of the table and into Eric's arms. "Whoa, hey there, little guy," he said to the little chick.

"So, you've selected Torchic. It's a Fire-type Pokemon," Professor Birch started. "I've always liked Torchic. They make for great companions when on long trips". Josh then stepped up to the machine and mulled over the two remaining choices.

"Hmm... both of the remaining Pokemon are really cool-looking. I guess it's just down to preference. I'm gonna go with... Treecko!" He reached for the Poke Ball with the leaf symbol on it and pressed the button. From the white light bursting from the ball came a green gecko-like Pokemon with yellow eyes that had black irises, a red belly, and a darker shade of green for its tail. It let off its cry as it stretched, then clambered onto Josh's shoulder. "Hey there, Treecko, how's it going?" Josh said to his new Pokemon. Treecko responded by letting off a small cry indicating that it was happy to finally have a trainer. Katrina then stepped up to the machine to claim the last Pokemon.

"Well, as it happens, this is the one I wanted anyways, so I guess it all worked out in the end. All right, I choose... Mudkip!" She reached for the ball with a water droplet symbol on it and pressed the button. From the light came a blue fish-like Pokemon on four legs. Its underside was a very light gray, and it had fins on its head and tail, as well as two orange gills on the sides of its face. Mudkip jumped up into Katrina's arms and let out a small cry. Katrina giggled a little. Professor Birch then cleared his throat to get their attention.

"All right, so, you have selected your Pokemon. These Pokemon are to be your trusted partners and friends. I sincerely hope you treat them well. Now, to start you off, I'm going to give you a few things. First off, here are the Poke Balls for the Pokemon you chose". He picked up the Poke Balls and gave them to the new trainers. "Secondly, here are some additional Poke Balls for catching wild Pokemon". He handed them each ten empty Poke Balls. "Next, some Potions. Potions are great for when there's no Pokemon Center nearby". He gave each trainer 5 Potions. "And finally, you each get a Pokedex. The Pokedex is a state-of-the-art Pokemon encyclopedia that fills its pages as you encounter Pokemon. This is the latest edition of it, and its features include identifying Pokemon species, relaying all known data about the species, what region it was initially discovered in, and much more, including the Pokemon's gender". He took three Pokedexes from the nearby table and gave them to the new trainers. "Now, open them up and allow them to register you as their owners". They did so. All three Pokedexes began making mechanical chirping noises as they registered the data of their new owners. Once completed, the Pokedexes booted up.

"Whoa, cool," Josh said.

"Impressive, isn't it?" the professor asked rhetorically. "Go ahead and try them on your Pokemon". They all did so, each going to their own Pokemon first. The Pokedexes came to life as they scanned the Pokemon.

"Torchic, the Chick Pokemon," a mechanical feminine voice droned. "A fire burns inside Torchic's body, so it is very warm to the touch. It can spit fireballs of up to 1800 degrees Fahrenheit. This Torchic is male, and was hatched from an egg in Littleroot Town by Professor Birch. Torchic's native region is Hoenn". Eric was thoroughly impressed with the Pokedex's capabilities. He turned to the others, who were getting data on their Pokemon.

"Treecko, the Wood Gecko Pokemon. Treecko have countless tiny spikes on their feet than enable them to climb walls and ceilings. If an opponent were to glare at a Treecko, the Treecko would glare right back without conceding an inch of ground. This Treecko is male, and was hatched from an egg in Littleroot Town by Professor Birch. Treecko's native region is Hoenn".

"Mudkip, the Mud Fish Pokemon. The fin on its head can sense the flow of water and air. Using it as a radar, Mudkip can sense what is going on around it without using its eyes. It has the power to crush rocks larger than itself despite its size. This Mudkip is male, and was hatched from an egg in Littleroot Town by Professor Birch. Mudkip's native region is Hoenn". The mechanical voices finished and the trainers scanned the other Pokemon for their Pokedex data. When they finished, they flipped the cover for the Pokedex screen down, powering it off. They then turned back to Professor Birch, awaiting what he had to say next.

"Well now, how do you like the Pokedex?" he asked.

"This thing's pretty awesome," Josh said.

"I agree; it's a pretty neat piece of technology," Eric agreed.

"No kidding. This thing's gonna be really useful," Katrina concluded. The professor nodded slowly.

"Yes, the Pokedex has proved very useful to the trainers I've handed them out to. As I said before, as you encounter more and more Pokemon, the pages of the Pokedex will fill up. Not one Pokedex in the world has been completed, though. It kinda makes me sad as a Pokemon Professor to know that it's been so long and still not one Pokedex has been completed. Oh well, I still think it'll get done eventually. One more thing. Pokemon not native to the Hoenn region have been appearing around Hoenn lately I don't know why they started showing up, but this could be a great opportunity to fill up Pokedex pages. Just thought I'd let you know since you're trainers now and you have Pokedexes".

"Pokemon from other regions?" Katrina asked.

"Yes," the professor answered. "You know we have Pokemon like Zigzagoon and Poochyena that are native to the Hoenn region. But, for instance, the other day, I ran into a Spearow, which is native to the Kanto region. I don't know how many Pokemon have come to Hoenn, but I would advise you be on the lookout for them".

"Alright then," Eric said.

"That's pretty exciting, Pokemon from other regions," Josh responded. The professor cleared his throat again.

"Alright, you three, you are finally ready to embark on your Pokemon journey. You're going to meet lots of Pokemon, possibly make a few new friends, and have a great time. I don't know if you plan to take the Pokemon League challenge, but if you do, I wish you the best of luck; the League is very challenging. I've also heard that there's a Pokemon Contest about to take place in Slateport City, so if you're interested, you might want to check it out. My daughter was heavily into Pokemon Contests when she was younger. I've heard she's now a judge for the contests, so if you ever meet her, tell her I said hi".

"Will do, professor," Josh told him. The professor nodded.

"Well, alright then. You three are ready. Go, and have a great journey! Chase your dreams wherever you go!" With that, Professor Birch dismissed the new trainers. Eric, Josh, and Katrina walked briskly out of the lab. Once they were out, Josh leaped into the air.

"Whoo! We're trainers now!" he shouted.

"Hey, man, calm down a little," Eric told him. "We still need to get out of Littleroot".

"Yeah, I guess I did get a little overexcited there, hehe," Josh said as he grinned sheepishly.

"Well, let's get going. Next stop, Oldale Town," Katrina said. The new trainers started heading north towards Route 101 to Oldale Town with their brand new Pokemon.

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><p><strong>Well, that's that for Chapter 1. Eric gets surprised by half the town and has a little party, then goes to the lab and meets up with Josh and Katrina. Josh was submitted by pokestets23 and Katrina was submitted by Lieutenant Cerberus. Thanks to them for the characters. They will be traveling with Eric throughout the story. To those of you who submitted traveling companions who didn't get selected, don't worry; they will appear in the story as random trainers.<strong>

**I'm still looking for a few OCs, obviously. The OCs I'm looking for at the moment are as follows: all eight Gym Leaders, three Elite Four members, and a few random trainers. Please submit them via PM. I would greatly appreciate getting the first three Gym Leaders in soon, as I'll probably have the gang reach Rustboro in a few chapters.**

**So yeah, leave a review with your thoughts on this chapter. I like getting constructive criticism.**

**Until next time, MasterFreezeman, signing out.**


	3. The Road to Oldale

Chapter 2: The Road to Oldale

The sun shone brightly as Eric, Josh, and Katrina set out from Littleroot Town on their Pokemon journeys. Before leaving town, however, Eric's mom had stopped him and given him something she had forgotten to earlier: a PokeGear. PokeGears were popular in the Johto region, and were more advanced than the Hoenn region's PokeNav at this point, so more and more trainers around the world were getting PokeGears. The gang registered each other in their PokeGears in case they ever had to separate at any point, then left town. With their first steps onto Route 101, the journey had truly begun.

"All right! We're off!" Josh exclaimed after taking his first step onto Route 101.

"Settle down, dude; don't want to burn yourself out already," Eric told Josh.

"Alright, alright, I'm just excited, is all," Josh replied.

"Well, don't get too excited now; there's so much more out there to get excited about," Katrina said. "Now, let's find some wild Pokemon to train ours against".

"Way ahead of you," Eric said. He had just come across a small black and gray dog Pokemon. Josh and Katrina gathered around Eric.

"Hey, that's a Poochyena," Josh observed. They all took out their Pokedexes to obtain data.

"Poochyena, the Bite Pokemon. Poochyena are very persistent, and will chase their prey until the prey becomes exhausted. Poochyena will bite at anything that moves. They bristle out the hair on its tail to intimidate enemies," the mechanical voice droned.

"All right, I'll take it on since I encountered it first," Eric announced. He took the lone Poke Ball from his belt and got ready for his first wild Pokemon battle. "Alright, Torchic, I choose you!" The ball opened and Torchic emerged with a small cry. The Chick Pokemon landed on one foot and maintained its balance as it looked back to Eric. "Torchic, you ready for a battle?" Eric asked. Torchic turned to face Poochyena and signaled affirmative. "Ok then! Use Scratch!" Torchic took off, rushing Poochyena and using its sharp talons to scratch it. The wild Poochyena flinched a little when it was struck, but prepared to strike back at its aggressor. Since this was a young Poochyena, it did the only thing it knew it could do: Tackle. It charged at Torchic with a full-body tackle. Torchic took the hit and went to the ground from the force of the blow. It got back up and struck back with another Scratch. The wild Poochyena dodged the attack and used Tackle again. "Dodge it, Torchic!" Eric called. Torchic leaped out of the way. Suddenly, a ball of fire shot out of Torchic's mouth. The wild Poochyena was caught off guard as it wasn't expecting a Fire attack.

"Whoa, dude, did you see that?" Josh said.

"Yeah; didn't think Torchic already knew a Fire-type attack," Eric replied. He took out the Pokedex and scanned his Torchic to reveal its known moves.

"This Torchic knows the following moves: Scratch, Growl, and Flame Burst". Eric's eyes widened in surprise. He knew Torchic didn't know Ember right off the bat, so he didn't figure on it knowing any Fire attacks, but knowing it had Flame Burst caught him by surprise.

"Guys, check this out," he said. "Torchic knows Flame Burst!"

"Whoa, when did it get that?" Josh asked incredulously.

"I would assume it learned that through breeding," Katrina answered. "Pokemon can sometimes learn moved through breeding that it can't normally. Whatever Professor Birch was breeding must have passed Flame Burst to this Torchic".

"Well, this is a pleasant surprise," Eric concluded. The wild Poochyena had recovered from its initial shock and was attacking again. Eric noticed and jumped in surprise. "Shoot, shouldn't have taken my eyes off of the battle," he scolded himself. "Torchic, use Flame Burst!" A ball of fire formed in Torchic's mouth and the Chick Pokemon shot it at the wild Poochyena. The Bite Pokemon took a direct hit from the Flame Burst attack and was knocked right out. Torchic was victorious, and gained some experience from battling. Eric twitched a little.

"Hey, Eric, something wrong?" Katrina asked.

"Nah," Josh interrupted. "He always gets like this when he's excited about something".

"You know me too well, Josh," Eric said. Then, he jumped into the air. "YES! I just beat my first wild Pokemon! YEAH!" Josh chuckled.

"And you were telling me to settle down earlier," he joked. Eric rolled his eyes.

"Ah, shut up," he said as he slugged Josh in the arm. Katrina giggled.

"I think this is gonna be quite an interesting journey," she said. "I don't think I'm gonna regret this at all".

"Well, I'd sure hope not," Josh commented. "Boring journeys are no fun at all".

"Yeah," Eric agreed. "Besides, I thought we were trying to get away from the boredom of Littleroot Town, right, Josh?"

"Haha, yep," Josh replied. "What about you, Katrina?"

"Well, one day, I hope to be a top Pokemon Coordinator, so I set out to travel the region and participate in Contests. Mudkip and I are gonna rock the stage once we get a little practicing in," Katrina answered.

"Ok, so, Contests. Didn't Professor Birch say something about that at the lab?"

"Yeah, I think he said his daughter was a really good coordinator or something, and that she's a judge now," Eric replied.

"Ooh, I'm getting excited just thinking of these contests!" Katrina said enthusiastically. "I think the first one is in Slateport City, so we gotta get a move on!" She began dragging Eric and Josh along with her as she walked briskly down the path, leaving Torchic, who still hadn't been returned to its Poke Ball, to catch up.

"Hey, hey, slow down," Josh said as he tried to loosen Katrina's grip.

"Yeah, could you let us go? We're perfectly capable of walking on our own power," Eric pointed out.

"Ah, whoops, sorry," Katrina apologized as she let go of the boys. "I guess I got a little carried away, ehehe..." The boys thanked her for letting them go and began walking down the pat again. Torchic caught up and Eric returned the Chick Pokemon to its Poke Ball.

* * *

><p>A little ways down the road, the gang ran into another wild Pokemon. This time, it was a small brown and white raccoon-like Pokemon. It growled as the group passed by and alerted them to its presence. Josh was first to turn around.<p>

"Hey, is that a Zigzagoon?" he said as he pulled out the Pokedex.

"Zigzagoon, the Tinyraccoon Pokemon. Zigzagoon move in a zigzag pattern, and wander restlessly at all times because it is very curious. Zigzagoon are very good at finding items in the grass and even in the ground".

"Hm, could be a good fight. Alright, Treecko, go!" Josh threw his Poke Ball and Treecko popped out. The Wood Gecko Pokemon stared Zigzagoon down. Josh scanned Treecko with the Pokedex to learn its moves.

"This Treecko knows the following moves: Pound, Leer, and Magical Leaf".

"Whoa, awesome! Treecko knows Magical Leaf!" Josh exclaimed. "Alright, let's go, Treecko! Use Magical Leaf!" Treecko scattered rainbow-colored leaves that homed in on the wild Zigzagoon. The Tinyraccoon Pokemon attempted to zigzag out of the way, but was struck and sliced. The wild Zigzagoon then attempted a Tackle attack. "Dodge it, Treecko!" Treecko jumped out of the way. "Now use Pound!" As Zigzagoon screeched to a halt, Treecko swung its tail at it, scoring a hit. Zigzagoon then struck back with a Tackle. At a closer range, Treecko didn't have the time to dodge and was hit. "Shake it off, Treecko! Use Magical Leaf!" Treecko scattered more leaves and Zigzagoon took another direct hit and fainted.

"All right! I won my first battle with a wild Pokemon!" Josh exclaimed. He called Treecko back, congratulating it on a job well done.

"Not bad, Josh," Eric said. "Of course, these are just the low-leveled wild Pokemon around here. Good for training against, but not much else".

"I disagree," Josh replied. "Sure, they're good for training, but if I can catch one of these, I can give it a chance to prove itself. You might not think these guys are much, but I think they all have potential". Eric shrugged.

"Suit yourself," he responded.

"Alright, you two, let's get going," Katrina interrupted. "I'd like to get to Oldale Town soon".

"Ok, we gotcha," Josh replied. The group set off again towards Oldale Town.

* * *

><p>After about two hours on the road, Oldale Town was finally in sight. The group was glad to have finally gotten to the end of Route 101.<p>

"Hey, I'll race you two to Oldale," Josh challenged.

"Challenge accepted," Eric replied.

"I'm not gonna lose this," Katrina responded.

"Ready? On three... one... two... two and a half..."

"Oof," Eric groaned as he slipped trying to stop himself. Katrina giggled at Eric's small misfortune. Eric picked himself back up and got ready again.

"Three!: Josh shouted. The three trainers took off like speeding bullets towards Oldale Town. Eric pulled out to an early lead, but Josh caught up and overtook. Eric pulled level and shot Josh a competitive glare. Josh returned the competitive glare and the boys went all out to try and beat each other. Neither of them noticed that Katrina had not only pulled level with them, but had overtaken them while they were glaring at each other. Eric turned to notice this and picked up the pace. As he shot off, Josh put the pedal to the metal to try and catch up. The three trainers were nearly level as they neared the sign for Oldale Town. In a last-ditch effort, Eric pushed himself just a little further and he pulled ahead of the other two. He passed the sign first, with Katrina arriving second and Josh pulling in right behind her.

"Aww, how did I lose?" Josh complained.

"Better luck next time," Katrina teased.

"Well, guess you're buying dinner, dude," Eric said.

"Whoa, no way! We never agreed on that as a condition of losing," Josh said in defense.

"Well, I just did, so you gotta deal with it".

"Fine, fine, I'll buy dinner. You're buying next time, though".

"Fair enough". They were about to go to the Pokemon center when Katrina saw something by the Oldale Town sign.

"Hey look, a Wurmple!" she said as she pointed towards the sign. She pulled out her Pokedex.

"Wurmple, the Worm Pokemon. Wurmple is targeted by large bird Pokemon as prey. The spikes on its rear end are utilized as a defense, as they leak poison. With these spikes, it attempts to fend off predators. Its feet have suction pads that allow it to climb any surface".

"I've been looking for one of these. Wurmple has a chance of evolving into Silcoon, which evolves into Beautifly. Beautifly is a Pokemon I've always wanted to use in a Contest, so now's my chance to try and get one! Mudkip, let's go!" Katrina did a little twirl, then threw her Poke Ball and the Mud Fish Pokemon emerged with a cry. It faced the Wurmple and prepared to fight. Katrina scanned Mudkip for its moves.

"This Mudkip knows the following moves: Tackle, Growl, and Water Pulse".

"Ooh, Water Pulse," Katrina commented. "That might come in handy. Ok, Mudkip, use Tackle!" Mudkip charged at the wild Wurmple. The wild Wurmple was surprised it was being attacked and it stuck out its rear spikes. "Mudkip, stop!" Mudkip screeched to a halt. "Water Pulse!" Mudkip opened its mouth and a pulsing blast of water shot out. The wild Wurmple looked up and was struck by the Water Pulse. It was dazed by the blow.

"Hey, Katrina, I think you confused it!" Eric said.

"Yep, that's Water Pulse's secondary effect, according to the Pokedex," Katrina replied. She pulled out an empty Poke Ball, preparing to throw it, but called out another command. "Mudkip, Tackle!" Mudkip charged at the dazed Wurmple and scored a hard hit. Wurmple looked quite weakened, so Katrina decided now was the time to throw a Poke Ball. She pushed the button on the empty Poke ball in her hand to enlarge it, then did a twirl, throwing the ball right after it. "Poke Ball, go!" The Poke Ball spun as it flew through the air towards the wild Wurmple. The ball hit Wurmple and a red light sucked Wurmple into the open ball. The ball then closed and hit the ground. It began to shake, signaling that Wurmple was struggling to get out. Katrina eyed the ball closely to make sure nothing went wrong. After about half a minute of shaking and rolling, the Poke Ball stopped moving and the center button glowed red, signaling that Wurmple had successfully been caught. Katrina gasped and ran up to the Poke Ball, grabbing it and lifting it into the air. "Yes! I caught a Wurmple!" Mudkip hopped up on Katrina's shoulder and let out a small cry of victory.

"Nice job, Katrina," Eric said as he ran up.

"Yeah, that was a great job catching that Wurmple," Josh concurred. Katrina giggled a little.

"Aw, shucks, 'twas nothing," she replied, blushing a little out of embarrassment. "Now, let's get to the Pokemon Center so we can rest our Pokemon and such". Katrina then returned Mudkip.

"Good idea," Eric agreed. "We've been doing quite a bit of training out here, so it would do our Pokemon good to get some rest at the Pokemon Center". The three trainers turned around and went to the Pokemon Center, not too far from the entrance to Oldale Town.

* * *

><p>A few hours after reaching the Pokemon Center and booking rooms for the night, Eric, Josh, and Katrina were exploring Oldale Town. The town didn't have much to offer, but it was a little larger than Littleroot Town and had a Poke Mart, so they decided to go buy a few items. All three trainers bought some Potions, a few more Poke Balls, and some Antidotes in case their Pokemon ever got poisoned while on the road. After leaving the Poke Mart, they decided to go explore the route to the north, Route 103. It led to a dead end unless one had a Pokemon that could use the move Surf, but there were a few more Pokemon on this route that were not on Route 101. New Pokemon in the area included Wingull and the occasional Pelipper, Wingull's evolved form, over the water. Nothing really caught the trainers' interest out here, so they decided to head back, but before they could, they heard the sounds of somebody training their Pokemon at the north end of the route. They went to go investigate. In a small clearing, a boy who looked a little younger than the group was training a black fox-like Pokemon against a wild Wingull. The boy was wearing a short sleeved, ghost-white jacket and black pants. His sneakers were white with what appeared to be black trim on the bottom. His hair was silver and was parted slightly on the left with the bangs spiked up. He appeared to be about 4'5" in height, much shorter than Eric, and was quite lithe in build. His back was turned to the group, so the rest of his features and clothing were obscured. He commanded his fox-like Pokemon with authority to take out the wild Wingull. A shadow blob flew from the fox-like Pokemon and hit the wild Wingull, knocking it out. The black fox Pokemon simply swished its tail as the Wingull fell to the ground. The boy then looked around for any other wild Pokemon to take out, but was instead surprised by the gang of three trainers watching him.<p>

"What are you doing here?" he asked, wary of them.

"Hey, no need to worry, man, we were just watching you take out that Wingull just now," Josh said. "Chill out".

"He's right; we were just watching," Eric piped up. "That was impressive. You've obviously trained your Pokemon well. Can't say I've ever seen one of those Pokemon before".

"Hmm..." the boy mumbled. "Well, you don't seem to have malicious intentions. Very well". He turned around. Now the gang could see he was wearing a black shirt under his jacket. The jacket had a high, ash-gray collar. The ends of the sleeves and bottom hem of the jacket were also ash-gray. A silver stripe ran down each sleeve from the shoulder to the end. A black kanji symbol was on the left breast of the jacket. The boy had platinum-colored eyes, adding to his overall mysterious look. "What is it you want from me?" he asked the gang.

"Nothing really; we were just fascinated by your command over that Pokemon of yours," Eric replied.

"I wouldn't call it 'command', but I do see where you're coming from," the boy responded. The black fox Pokemon jumped up onto the boy's shoulder and made a sound that sounded like it was asking a question. "Don't worry, Xander, they mean no harm," the boy assured it. The fox Pokemon let out another sound and just sat there on the boy's shoulder, staring at the gang.

"Dude, that Pokemon's glaring at me. It's kinda creepy," Josh told Eric.

"I get you," Eric replied. He took out his Pokedex so he could see what this Pokemon was. The Pokedex took a while to scan, but then hummed to life.

"Zorua, the Tricky Fox Pokemon. To protect itself and to surprise others, Zorua often transforms into other Pokemon and people. It is known to transform into a silent child. Zorua is a native Pokemon of the Unova region. This Zorua is male," the voice droned.

"A Zorua... no wonder I've never heard of them before. They're native to the Unova region," Eric said.

"Yes," the boy piped up. "Xander here was my first Pokemon. I actually am from Unova originally, but I moved here to Hoenn to forge my own path. Xander is going to help me do just that".

"Well, you certainly seem set on your goal. How about a battle to see how far along you are?"

"Hmm... I suppose. I've been fighting nothing but wild Pokemon for the past few days, so it would do me some good to battle a trainer. You ready, Xander?" The Tricky Fox Pokemon jumped off of the boy's shoulder and loosed a battle cry. Eric grabbed the Poke ball from his belt and threw it out.

"Torchic, let's go!" The ball opened and the Chick Pokemon burst out from the light. It shook its head and prepared to fight. Katrina walked over to referee.

"All right, this is going to be a one-on-one battle. If both trainers are ready, then begin," she said. Eric decided to strike first.

"Torchic, use Scratch!" Torchic rushed at Zorua and scratched at it with its talons. Zorua easily dodged, however.

"Xander, Shadow Ball," the boy ordered. A shadowy blob formed in Zorua's mouth and it fired it at Torchic.

"Dodge it!" Torchic leaped over the Shadow Ball. "Now use Flame Burst!" Torchic shot a ball of fire from its mouth Zorua jumped to the side, but was hit when the ball of fire burst when it hit the ground, causing splash damage.

"Xander, Extrasensory". Zorua's eyes glowed blue as it loosed an invisible attack at Torchic. The space around Torchic became blurry as a blast of psychic energy assaulted Torchic's mind.

"Come on, Torchic, shake it off!" Eric called. Torchic eventually recovered from the attack, but looked shaken. "Alright, use Flame Burst!" A ball of fire shot from Torchic's mouth. Zorua simply took the attack head on.

"Use Night Daze". Zorua launched a pitch-black shockwave at Torchic. Torchic leaped up in an attempt to dodge it, but ended up taking the brunt of the attack and was knocked out of the air.

"Torchic, get up!" Eric called, worried about Torchic. The Chick Pokemon attempted to get up, but gave out and fainted.

"Torchic can't battle. Zorua wins," Katrina said as she raised her left arm.

"No, Torchic!" Eric called as he ran over to the injured Chick Pokemon. "You ok, Torchic?" Torchic responded with a weak chirp. "Good job anyways. You should take a long rest". Eric returned Torchic to its Poke Ball. He got up and the boy walked over to him.

"Not bad... for a rank amateur. I can tell you just recently became a trainer," he said.

"That's right. This was actually my first trainer battle. I didn't expect to win, but I got stomped flat. That's kinda disappointing, losing my first battle. Well, that just goes to show that I've still got a lot to learn," Eric replied.

"Hm... for your first battle, that wasn't bad. You have potential," the boy responded. "I'm curious as to why you decided to become a Trainer".

"Well, becoming a trainer is only a part of it for me," Eric started. "I've always wanted to get away from Littleroot Town, and now that I'm a trainer, I can do just that. My dreams are carried on the wind, and I'll go wherever the wind takes me".

"I see. Was becoming a Pokemon Trainer one of those dreams?"

"Indeed it was. I was always intrigued by the battle styles of the pros, so I decided that I'd become like them when I got my first Pokemon. I believe I could go far, and Torchic is going to be my invaluable partner".

"Hm... sounds like you have everything in mind. My advice to you: continue chasing your dreams, but be realistic about them. You don't want to end up disappointing yourself. I would also advise that you spend a considerable amount of time training your Pokemon so you can achieve your goals. The relationship between Trainer and Pokemon is forged through training".

"I see. Well, I'll definitely keep that in mind".

"Good. Well, I should be going. I have a call to make and I don't want to keep the recipient of the call waiting".

"Ok. Wait, I don't think we got your name," Eric said.

"I'll only give you my name if you give me yours," the boy replied.

"Well, my name's Eric Knight. People call me 'Knight of the Wind'". Josh spoke up next.

"I'm Josh Anderson. I've got Eric's back, and he's got mine. We've been friends since childhood". Katrina then spoke up.

"My name's Katrina Aeris. I'm aiming to be a top Pokemon Coordinator:" The boy nodded.

"Very well. My name is Seito Hiwatari. I seek to forge my own path in life, and my Pokemon will help me do so. I must be going now".

"All right. See you down the road somewhere," Eric called as Seito walked off.

"We shall see," Seito called back. Eric turned to Josh and Katrina and they headed back to Oldale Town for the evening.

* * *

><p><strong>And that's this chapter complete. So, how did I do? Leave a review with any thoughts, comments, and constructive criticism you may have.<strong>

**So, in this chapter, Eric, Josh, and Katrina make it to Oldale Town. They each have a battle with some wild Pokemon and learn that their Pokemon came with moved learned through breeding. Katrina catches a Wurmple because she wants a Beautifly for use in Contests. The rival is introduced in this chapter: Seito Hiwatari (submitted by Tendou Souji). Seito is quite a mysterious-looking fellow, and he's three years younger than Eric, Josh, and Katrina. He claims to hail from Unova, and it would seem his Zorua proves that. Eric battles Seito, but he gets stomped. He took the loss well, though (strange for a rookie trainer to take a loss well, haha). So, the plot moves along a little here.**

**Next up, the gang makes the trek to Petalburg City. The chapter will mainly just move the plot along a ways.**

**I'm still looking for a few OCs. The remaining slots are as follows: seven Gym Leaders (Dewford is taken) and two Elite Four members (slots 3 and 4 are taken). Random trainers are also accepted.**

**Fun Fact: Guile's Theme really DOES go with everything! I was listening to Guile's Theme while writing the battle between Eric and Seito, and it just fit.**

**Until next time, MasterFreezeman, signing out.**


	4. On To Petalburg

Chapter 3: On To Petalburg

The alarm clock went off at 7:30am in the room Eric and Josh were sharing at the Pokemon Center in Oldale Town. The boys yawned and stretched as they climbed out of bed. Josh claimed the shower first, so Eric killed the time by simply gazing out the window. He thought about the freedom going on this journey was giving him as the trees rustled in the breeze.

'I can finally go wherever I want to now," Eric thought. 'Wherever the wind sees fit to take me... I'll gladly go...' He closed his eyes and lost himself in thought. In the middle of his daydreaming, Josh finished with his shower and was now sneaking up on Eric. He got in front of Eric and got ready to clap his hands. Eric didn't notice Josh in front of him as he had his eyes closed. Josh then clapped and snapped Eric out of his reverie. Eric jumped and fell backwards.

"Whoa! Dude, not cool," he exclaimed as Josh just laughed.

"Oh man, you should have seen yourself," Josh said between periods of laughing. "Your eyes grew to the size of dinner plates!" Eric rolled his eyes as he got up to get in the shower. Josh continued laughing at Eric's reaction, but soon stopped as he was running short of breath.

* * *

><p>Once Eric was done in the shower and the boys were prepared to go, they met Katrina in the lobby of the Pokemon Center. After grabbing some breakfast, they hit the road again, this time heading west onto Route 102, which would take them to Petalburg City. Both Eric and Josh had resolved to catch a Pokemon today, so they would often stray from the beaten path to search for a Pokemon. Katrina found herself with plenty of time alone as she waited for Eric and Josh to return. She used these opportunities to train her Mudkip and Wurmple against some of the wild Pokemon.<p>

'If my Pokemon are gonna perform well in contests, they still need to be trained,' she thought. She was engaged in battle with a wild Lotad that had just surfaced from a nearby pond. The wild Lotad shot a Water Gun at her Wurmple. "Wurmple, dodge it!" Wurmple scaled a nearby tree to avoid the blast of water. "Now, Poison Sting!" Wurmple turned around and shot poisonous needles from the spikes on its tail. Lotad was struck by the Poison Sting attack and really felt it, as it was a partial Grass-type Pokemon which were weak to Poison-type moves. The wild Lotad struck back with another Water Gun, but Wurmple kept climbing higher up the tree to avoid it, firing off Poison Sting after Poison Sting on Katrina's orders. Eventually, the Lotad gave in and fainted. Wurmple climbed back down the tree and Katrina picked it up. "Great job, Wurmple!" she praised. Wurmple let out a small cry of happiness. Katrina then returned Wurmple to its Poke Ball and continued on down the road a ways.

* * *

><p>Elsewhere on Route 102, Josh was searching for any wild Pokemon that he thought would be a worthy addition to his team. Unfortunately, all he could find were Surskit on the ponds and Poochyena in the grass. He figured he would come by something eventually, though. Sure enough, he eventually encountered a Zigzagoon. Remembering he had wanted to catch one yesterday, he took out his Treecko's Poke Ball.<p>

"Treecko, let's go!" he said as he tossed the ball. It opened and the Wood Gecko Pokemon burst from the light. It turned back to Josh with a look on its face that seemed to say 'What is it?' Treecko let out a small sound as it asked Josh what he wanted it to do. Josh pointed to the wild Zigzagoon and Treecko turned around. "We're gonna try to capture this thing, Treecko," Josh told his Pokemon. Treecko nodded affirmative. "All right, use Pound!" Treecko launched itself at the wild Zigzagoon and slammed it with its thick tail. Zigzagoon was caught by surprise and flinched when it saw Treecko's tail about to slap it in the face. Zigzagoon recovered and charged at Treecko with a basic Tackle attack. "Dodge it, Treecko!" Josh called. Treecko jumped over the charging Zigzagoon and landed behind it. "Ok, now use Magical Leaf!" Treecko scattered leaves and sent them to home in on Zigzagoon. The Tinyraccoon Pokemon attempted to dodge the leaves, but ended up getting sliced by most of them. Zigzagoon was breathing heavily after that assault, so Josh seized the opportunity and threw out an empty Poke Ball. "Alright! Poke Ball, go!" The ball spun as it flew through the air. When it hit Zigzagoon, it engulfed the Tinyraccoon Pokemon in a red light, sucking it into the ball. The ball then began to shake as Zigzagoon struggled to get out. After about twenty seconds of shaking, it intensified ans Zigzagoon burst out of the ball, rendering it useless. "Aw, nuts!" Josh exclaimed. He turned to Treecko to give another order, but Zigzagoon tackled Treecko. Treecko was flung against a tree and took a big hit. "Darn it..." Josh mumbled. He took out his Pokedex to see of his Treecko had learned any new moves.

"This Treecko is Level 7, and has added Absorb to its set of attacks," the voice droned. Josh nodded and turned his attention back to the battle.

"Treecko, use Absorb!" Treecko picked itself up, then formed a small field of energy in its hands. Holding out its hands, it began draining the wild Zigzagoon's HP. Zigzagoon struggled to free itself from the hold of the Absorb attack. In the meantime, Treecko healed itself with the drained HP. Josh then called off the attack as Zigzagoon looked sufficiently weakened. He tossed out another empty Poke Ball. "Alright, I hope this one works. Go, Poke Ball!" The ball hit the weakened Zigzagoon and sucked it in. It began shaking like the one thrown previously. After about thirty seconds, the shaking died down and the center of the ball glowed red, signaling a successful capture. Josh ran over to the Poke Ball and lifted it high in the air. "YES! I caught a Zigzagoon!" Treecko hopped up on his shoulder and struck a victory pose. Josh put the Poke Ball with his newly-caught Zigzagoon away and returned Treecko. "Man, this is awesome! I just caught my first wild Pokemon! Wait until I tell Eric and Katrina this!"

* * *

><p>A little further down the road, Eric was also searching for Pokemon. He had found a few interesting ones, but none that he felt would be good for his team. He had obtained Pokedex data on Seedot, Lotad, Surskit, and even the rare Ralts on this route. Torchic was out of its Poke ball to keep Eric company while he searched for Pokemon. It looked around at the clouds as if it were scanning the skies for Pokemon. Unfortunately, it too couldn't find anything, barring a passing flock of Taillow. It ran to catch up to Eric and continued to walk by his side. Eventually, Eric decided to stop and take a break. He found a shaded spot under a tree and sat down in it. Torchic joined him. Eric began to hum to himself as a familiar tune played in his head. Torchic sat quietly and listened to Eric hum. Occasionally, Eric would mumble some of the lyrics to the song as he remembered them.<p>

"Hey all/Welcome to the greatest storm/I know/You have waited much too long" Eric sang to himself. Torchic just continued to listen as Eric sang along with the song in his head. Just then, Torchic picked up the sound of flapping wings. The Chick Pokemon looked in the direction of the noise and saw a bird Pokemon in the trees. It went over to Eric and nudged him to get his attention. Eric looked over to Torchic. "What's up?" he asked his Pokemon. Torchic tried to point over to where it saw the bird Pokemon. Eric got what it was trying to do and looked over, and he too saw the bird Pokemon. It looked unlike anything he had seen before, so he took out the Pokedex to scan the bird. The Pokemon had a body of gray feathers and a mane-like face of white feathers and a single red and white feather protruding upwards from its gray face. The Pokedex finished scanning at that moment.

"Rufflet, the Eaglet Pokemon. Rufflet will crush berries with their talons for food. Rufflet are very brave Pokemon, and will stand up to any challenger no matter how strong the challenger is. They frequently fight, which serves to make then stronger. Rufflet is not native to the Hoenn region, instead coming from the Unova region."

"Ooh, a Unova Pokemon," Eric said. He then turned to Torchic. "You ready to help me catch this thing?" he asked. Torchic replied with a battle cry. The wild Rufflet was alerted to the presence of opposition, so it turned around and narrowed its eyes. It then took off from where it was perched and attempted to peck at Torchic. "Dodge it, Torchic!" Eric called. Torchic leaped to the side to avoid Rufflet's Peck attack. "Ok, now use Flame Burst!" Torchic shot a ball of fire from its mouth and scored a hit of Rufflet. The Eaglet Pokemon quickly recovered, however, and resumed attacking. Torchic prepared to counter with a Scratch attack. Talon met beak as Torchic and Rufflet collided. A stalemate resulted as the two Pokemon pushed harder in an effort to break through. Eric quickly scanned Torchic for moves and learned that it had recently learned Ember. "Torchic, Ember!" he called. Torchic shot small flames from its mouth, knocking Rufflet back. Unperturbed, though, Rufflet continued to attack. Torchic looked like it was going to be forced into a corner. Rufflet dove at Torchic with another Peck attack, and Torchic countered with Scratch. Torchic's timing couldn't have been better, as it scored a hit just as Rufflet was going past it. The hit was visible, as it had etched a scar right beside Rufflet's left eye. The Eaglet Pokemon screeched in pain from the hit. It then dove back down at Torchic, scoring a hit with Peck. "Torchic, Flame Burst!" Eric ordered. Torchic shot a ball of fire at Rufflet. The eaglet Pokemon took the hit squarely in the back and it lost flight. Eric took out an empty Poke Ball and threw it at the falling Rufflet. "Poke Ball, go!" he yelled. The ball spun as it flew at Rufflet. It intercepted Rufflet in midair and engulfed it in a red light, sucking it in. The ball then hit the ground and began shaking. Eric and Torchic kept a close eye on the ball to make sure Rufflet didn't escape. After about a minute, the ball stopped shaking and the center glowed red, signaling that Rufflet had been caught. Eric's hand twitched a little, then he ran over to the ball and lifted it into the air. "All right! I caught a Rufflet!" he shouted. Torchic jumped up and down with excitement. Eric turned to Torchic and held out its Poke Ball, returning the Chick Pokemon. He then set off to find Josh and Katrina and get to Petalburg City.

* * *

><p>Back on the main path, Katrina was just walking along after battling a wild Surskit and beating it with Mudkip. It had been a few hours since Eric and Josh had gone off the path to look for Pokemon and Katrina was getting slightly worried.<p>

'They've been gone for hours,' she thought. 'I wonder if they're ok.' She continued down the path a little ways, but then heard some rustling in the trees to her left. She cautiously reached for her Mudkip's Poke Ball and readied herself for whatever was going to pop out of the bush. Just then, Josh popped up and surprised her with a loud noise that sounded like complete gibberish.

"Eek!" Katrina screamed. After jumping three feet in the air, she saw that it was Josh that had surprised her and glared at him. Josh just laughed.

"Haha, you should have seen yourself, Katrina!" he started. "You must have jumped about ten feet in the air from that!" While Josh kept laughing, Katrina walked up to him and slapped him. "Ow! What was that for?"

"For nearly scaring me to death! You can't just sneak up on me like that! Honestly, I thought you were wild Pokemon at first..." Katrina said.

"Alright, alright, I get it," Josh replied.

"Good," Katrina huffed. Just then, Eric emerged from the trees on the right.

"Hey guys, anything cool happen while I was gone?" he said, greeting his traveling companions.

"Not much apart from Josh scaring the living daylights out of me," Katrina grumbled. Josh snickered a bit, but Katrina shot him a death glare and he shut up. Eric sighed and shrugged.

"Well, that's Josh for you," he told Katrina. "He got me this morning." Josh snickered again, but this time, both Katrina and Eric shot him death glares. Josh backed up, intimidated. Eric turned back to Katrina. "So, catch any new Pokemon?" he asked.

"No, I didn't see anything I really liked out here," she replied. "What about you?" Josh ran over at that.

"I'll show you what I caught," he announced, taking out a Poke Ball. He tossed it up and his Zigzagoon came out of it. It let out a small sound as it greeted Eric and Katrina.

"Not bad, Josh, but wait until you see what I caught," Eric said. He too pulled out a Poke ball and tossed it. It opened and his Rufflet came out. Rufflet perched on Eric's shoulder and spread its wings in greeting.

"Whoa, what is that?" Josh asked in awe.

"It's a Rufflet," Eric started. "Rufflet are from the Unova region, according to the Pokedex. If it weren't for Torchic, though, I probably wouldn't have found it 'cuz it was hidden in the trees."

"That's a really cool-looking Pokemon," Katrina said. Rufflet chirped at the compliment. "How did it get that scar along its eye?"

"That was Torchic's fault, hehe," Eric explained while grinning sheepishly. "I don't think Rufflet minds it, though. The Pokedex said it loves to battle." Rufflet squawked as if to say 'You bet I love to battle!'

"Wow, that is a seriously cool Pokemon," Josh said. "Now I gotta find myself a cool-looking bird Pokemon like that!"

"I'm sure you will someday," Eric responded. He returned Rufflet and Josh returned Zigzagoon, then the three trainers headed off towards Petalburg City.

* * *

><p>A bit further down the road, the gang started to encounter other trainers along the path. Josh was eager for a challenge, so he ran up to the first trainer he saw and challenged him.<p>

"Hey, dude, you a trainer?" Josh asked the guy.

"Yep, sure am. Name's Calvin. You are?"

"I'm Josh. You want to battle?"

"Sure thing. Two on two cool with you?"

"Yep. Let's do this!" Josh pulled out a Poke Ball and tossed it out. "Go, Zigzagoon!" The ball burst open ans the Tinyraccoon Pokemon emerged. It let out a cry and prepared for battle.

"A Zigzagoon, huh? Two can play that game. Zigzagoon, let's go!" Calvin called. His Poke Ball opened and a Zigzagoon emerged from it.

"Hehe, Zigzagoon vs. Zigzagoon. This'll be cool. Go! Use Tackle, Zigzagoon!" Josh's Zigzagoon charged at Calvin's Zigzagoon.

"Dodge, Zigzagoon!" Calvin called. His Zigzagoon jumped out of the way of Josh's Zigzagoon. "Now, use Tail Whip!" Zigzagoon wagged its tail at Josh's.

"Tail Whip, huh?" Josh mumbled. He checked the Pokedex to see that Tail Whip lowered the target's Defense, so he made a note of that and returned to the battle. "Zigzagoon, use Growl!" he called. His Zigzagoon began growling a bit. The sound waves reached Calvin's Zigzagoon and lowered its Attack.

"Zigzagoon, Tackle!" Calvin ordered. His Zigzagoon charged.

"You too, Zigzagoon! Tackle!" Josh called. His Zigzagoon also charged. They collided and sent each other skidding backwards. Josh pressed the offensive here, not wanting to lose. "Tackle again!" His Zigzagoon recovered and charged again, scoring a hit on Calvin's Zigzagoon. Josh waited as Calvin's Zigzagoon tried to get back up, but it gave one last heavy breath before collapsing, its energy spent.

"Aw, no! Zigzagoon!" Calvin said as he pulled out Zigzagoon's Poke Ball and returned it.

"One down," Josh said. "You ready for another round, Zigzagoon?" Zigzagoon pawed the ground as if to say 'yes'. Calvin then took out his other Poke Ball and threw it.

"Poochyena, go!" The ball opened and a gray and black dog Pokemon emerged. It howled and prepared for battle.

"We can take this. Zigzagoon, use Growl!" Zigzagoon growled and Poochyena's Attack was lowered.

"That's not gonna help you much here," Calvin said. "Poochyena, use Howl!" Poochyena raised its head to the sky and howled like a wolf, boosting its Attack back to the level it was at before Growl had lowered it.

"Ok, so, I guess that didn't work," Josh said. "Tackle it!" Zigzagoon charged at Poochyena.

"Tackle it right back!" Calvin called. Poochyena rushed at the incoming Zigzagoon. Holding a slight height advantage over Zigzagoon, it looked like Poochyena would deliver a hit by overpowering Zigzagoon, but Zigzagoon lowered itself as it closed in and scored a hit by upending Poochyena. Poochyena recovered quickly, though, and used Tackle again. Zigzagoon was unprepared and took the hit. Weakened from the previous bout, Zigzagoon was knocked out.

"Aw, darn it," Josh said as he called Zigzagoon back. "You did well, Zigzagoon. Take a rest." He pulled out his other Poke Ball and tossed it out. "Treecko, you're on!" The ball opened and the Wood Gecko Pokemon emerged. It struck a battle pose and waited for an order.

"Poochyena, Tackle it!" The Bite Pokemon charged at Treecko, but the Wood Gecko Pokemon swiftly dodged it.

"Treecko, Magical Leaf!" Treecko scattered leaves to home in on Poochyena. The Bite Pokemon attempted to dodge them by running away, zigzagging between trees. However, the leaves followed the dog's every move and inched ever closer, eventually catching up. Poochyena gave one last effort to run away, but was sliced by the leaves. It struggled to get up from the blow, but did and turned to face Treecko again, but the Wood Gecko Pokemon was gone.

"Huh? Where did it go?" Calvin wondered. Josh grinned.

"Look out below!" he called. Calvin and Poochyena looked up to see Treecko descending from the trees. "Use Pound!" Treecko swung its tail at Poochyena.

"Dodge it!" Calvin yelled. Poochyena barely got out of the way. "Now, Tackle!" A quick strike from Poochyena sent Treecko skidding backwards a ways.

"Let's finish it, Treecko! Use Absorb!" Treecko's hands glowed and it held them out, creating an energy-absorbing field. Poochyena was caught in the field and began writhing in pain as its energy was drained.

"No, Poochyena!" Calvin called. "You've gotta break free!" Poochyena struggled to move as pain wracked its body. Treecko then dropped the field and Poochyena slumped to the ground.

"Aw nuts!" Calvin exclaimed as he returned Poochyena. He then sighed, disappointed that he lost. "Ah well, there's always the next battle." He then walked up to Josh, who was celebrating with Treecko over his first win. "Hey, great battle. I didn't know you were this good," he said. Josh settled down and Treecko hopped up on his shoulder.

"Thanks, dude. That was actually my first battle against another trainer, so I'm just overjoyed that I won," Josh replied.

"Your first battle? Wow. I feel kinda bad about losing to someone who had never battled before, but at the same time, it's pretty cool that you won your first battle," Calvin responded. He then took some money out of his pocket. "Here, this is the prize money for beating me. Official rules for trainers state that they are to give prize money if they lose." Josh accepted the prize money.

"Well, I suppose I can take it. I guess I won't feel so bad about taking your money knowing that its in the rules," he said. He then returned Treecko. "I gotta go find my traveling companions now. They probably went a ways ahead. See you, Calvin!" He took off towards Petalburg City. Calvin tipped his cap as a farewell.

* * *

><p>Further down the road, Eric and Katrina were just walking along, enjoying the scenery. Occasionally, a wild Pokemon would pop out of the tall grass and Eric would generally deal with it unless Katrina said she wanted to battle the Pokemon. They were getting some good training out of this. They eventually decided to take a short break to see if Josh would catch up with them. Sitting in a shaded spot under some trees, they just waited, occasionally talking to break the silence.<p>

"So, Katrina, you never told us where you're from," Eric started. "I mean, you already know Josh and I are from Littleroot Town, so I think it's only fair for you to tell us where you're from." Katrina nodded.

"Yeah, I guess you're right," she said. "I'm from Rustboro City."

"Rustboro, hm?" Eric said. "What's it like there?"

"It's kind of a big city because the Devon Corporation is based there. They make a lot of Pokemon products. Some of the more popular ones are sold in the Poke Mart there, like Timer Balls. There's also the Pokemon Academy. Rustboro's previous Gym Leader, Roxanne, is a teacher there. And as for me, well, my family is full of big names. My father is a lawyer, and my mother used to be a top Pokemon Coordinator. My brother recently contacted us and said he's been accepted into the Elite Four in the Kanto region, and I also have an older sister who's a nurse. It's my goal to live up to the family legacy of making it big, and I'm gonna do that on the big stage of Pokemon Contests. I'm not gonna let anything stop me on my way to making it big." Eric nodded after Katrina finished her monologue.

"Wow, sounds like you've got a lot to live up to," he said.

"Yeah, I kind of do," Katrina replied. "What about you?" Eric took a deep breath before he started.

"Well, I spent my whole life in Littleroot Town, so a big reason I wanted to go on a journey is my desire to get away and go see the world. That's not it, though. I've always been a big fan of battling. I've been watching League tournaments since I was old enough to remember things. I especially loved how well the trainers commanded their Pokemon. One day, I want to be like those trainers, winning my way up League tournaments and gaining the respect of my Pokemon. On a somewhat related note, I've always had a fascination with the wind."

"The wind?" Katrina asked.

"Yeah, the wind," Eric replied. "I don't exactly know why, but I've always regarded the wind as mysterious and ever-changing. Maybe that's why I'm so fascinated by it. My dreams of becoming a great trainer will be carried along by the wind wherever it may lead me." A breeze blew through the trees at that moment, almost like it had heard Eric's little speech and decided to blow through at that moment for dramatic effect.

"That's... deep," Katrina said.

"I don't exactly understand it all yet, but I have no doubt that I'll begin to as the wind carries me along to each and every destination," Eric said. He closed his eyes and felt the breeze. "Who knows what's in store for me. I could become one of the greatest trainers in the world, or I could utterly fail. But right now, it doesn't matter. I'm just beginning my tale. We'll see where the wind takes me from here." While Eric seemingly daydreamed, Katrina sat there quietly as she thought about what Eric had just said.

'He seems so willing to just take everything as it comes,' she mused. 'He must not have a care in the world. I kinda envy him. I have my family legacy to live up to, but he's got nothing to bring pressure to him.' She sighed. 'I wish I could be as free as you, Eric.' Another ten minutes passed before a sound was heard. Eric and Katrina looked around and saw Josh running up the road.

"Hey guys," Josh shouted. "Wait for me!" He caught up after a few seconds.

"Yo, Josh, what's up?" Eric asked him. Josh grinned.

"Dude, I just won my first battle against another trainer!" he exclaimed. "Zigzagoon and Treecko were awesome in that battle."

"Nice job," Katrina said. "Eric and I have just been battling wild Pokemon as they pop out, and we were just taking a break to see if you would catch up."

"Ok, well, I want to get to Petalburg City now; I'm kinda hungry," Josh said. Eric got up just then.

"Well, alright, guess we should get moving again," he said as he stretched. Katrina then got up, brushed some dirt off of her shirt, and followed along as they started towards Petalburg City again. While walking, Eric and Josh seemed to be having a friendly discussion about something related to the Pokemon they caught today. Katrina wasn't paying any attention to it, though, as she was still lost in thought.

'What is it that makes you so relaxed and carefree, Eric?" she thought to herself. 'I've got to find out one way or another. Who knows, maybe it'll help me at some point to know.' She had fallen behind a little, so she caught up and the group continued on to Petalburg.

* * *

><p>Elsewhere in the Hoenn region, in a darkened building nobody was aware existed, maniacal laughter echoed through its halls. The laughter belonged to a man that appeared to be in his early forties. He wore a white uniform with a red 'R' on the left chest of his shirt. His short blue-green hair made him look somewhat unnatural, and his narrow black eyes made him look even more intimidating. He continued to laugh maniacally.<p>

"This plan is perfect!" he shouted to nobody in particular. "Once we set this in motion, nobody shall stop us, and we will finally regain our former glory! The master will finally come out of hiding, and he shall lead us to world domination! ALL HAIL TEAM ROCKET!" He laughed even more maniacally as lightning lit up the night sky and thunder boomed.

* * *

><p><strong>And that's that for Chapter 3! More journeying is done here as Eric, Josh and Katrina press on to Petalburg City. Eric catches a Rufflet, not native to the Hoenn region, and Josh catches a Zigzagoon. Josh also battles a trainer for the first time and wins. The trainer in question, Calvin, is actually from the games. He had a Lv. 5 Zigzagoon in Ruby and Sapphire, and he had a Lv. 5 Poochyena in Emerald, so I gave him both of those Pokemon. Then, Eric and Katrina talk about their dreams and what drives them to fulfill those dreams. Katrina envies Eric's carefree nature and natural freedom. Then Josh catches up and they head into Petalburg City. And what's up with the ominous man at the end? He's laughing like a madman and he mentions Team Rocket. Could this mean Team Rocket is making a comeback, this time in Hoenn? Well, stay tuned and you'll find out.<strong>

**Next time, Eric, Josh, and Katrina progress to the Petalburg Woods and try to reach Rustboro City, Katrina's hometown.**

**Guess-the-song: Eric sings some lyrics to a song in this chapter. Can you guess the song these lyrics are from?**

**Fun Fact: During the battle between Josh and Calvin, I listened to The Man with the Machine Gun from Final Fantasy VIII. I think I'm going to make that tune Josh's unofficial theme song.**

**Until next time, MasterFreezeman, signing out.**


	5. Beware The Forest's Mushrooms

Chapter 4: Beware The Forest's Mushrooms

The morning mist was settling as the sun rose in Petalburg City. It had been raining steadily during the night, so the ground was quite damp and mist still lingered in the air. The residents of Petalburg would find this to be the perfect day to stay at home, but for three young trainers, this was just a part of their journey they would deal with and face undeterred. Eric, Josh, and Katrina planned to reach Rustboro City soon, and to do that, they would have to take the path through the Petalburg Woods, a large forest home to many Bug-type and Grass-type Pokemon. The locals in Petalburg City generally didn't mind a walk in the woods, but warned against going in after rainfall, as a native of the forest called Shroomish came out to feast on the composted soil in there. Shroomish could startle easily, and they scattered spores from their heads that were extremely toxic to everyone and everything around it. All the locals warned passing trainers not to venture into dead areas of the woods, as that was where Shroomish were most likely to live. Heeding these warnings, some trainers would wait in the city for another day or two, but others would go into the woods regardless. Some trainers were not smart enough to heed the warnings, and were often carried out by paramedics.

* * *

><p>As the sun rose in Petalburg City, Eric and Josh were already up and were planning their route through Petalburg Woods. They planned to take the shortest route possible, but it would still take them at least a day if they were lucky.<p>

"Hmm..." Eric mumbled. "I wish there were a somewhat easier route through the forest. I've got a bad feeling that we're gonna run into trouble on the route we're taking."

"Well, I can't see anything on the map of the woods, so we're just gonna have to deal with what we've got," Josh replied. He didn't like the prospect of having to spend large amounts of time in the forest, but he decided that he was just going to have to deal with it.

"I suppose you're right," Eric responded. "We're just gonna have to deal with it. We've got our Pokemon with us, and we stocked up on items last night, so we should be good if we play it safe." He opened his bag and counted out his stock of Potions, Antidotes, Paralyze Heals, and Awakenings. The shopkeeper at the Poke Mart had warned him that the Pokemon in the forest commonly caused status conditions such as Poison, Sleep, and Paralysis, so he bought a decent amount of items to keep his Pokemon healthy. Josh and Katrina had done the same. Eric folded up the map and put it in his bag, then he and Josh left their room at the Pokemon Center to meet up with Katrina in the lobby and go over the route with her.

* * *

><p>In the lobby, a few trainers waited while Nurse Joy healed their Pokemon. Some of the trainers around here were fanatical about their training, and got up before dawn to train their Pokemon. Eric and Josh found themselves waiting for a while for Katrina to show up, but neither of them minded because it allowed them to rest for a bit, seeing as they were up early to discuss travel plans. They rested for about an hour, then Eric noticed Katrina headed for them. He elbowed Josh in the side hard enough to get his attention but not to cause any pain.<p>

"Yeah?" Josh said groggily, having just woken up from a nap. Eric tilted his head forwards and Josh looked that way to see Katrina walking towards them. "Oh, time to go over travel plans, I see." He rubbed his eyes and sat upright as Katrina walked over.

"Morning, boys," Katrina greeted. "So, what's the plan to get to Rustboro?" Eric pulled the map out of his backpack and unfolded it, laying it on the table he and Josh were sitting at. He then took his right index finger and placed it at the entrance to Petalburg Woods.

"Well, it took us a while, but Josh and I eventually settled on this route," Eric began explaining. "We were looking for an easy route that would take less than a day, but if we're lucky, it'll take a full day to get through the forest on the easiest route we could find." He then started tracing the path with his finger. "We're trying to avoid running into trouble, so we opted to stay away from the center path, but not stray too far to the east or west, 'cuz the locals told us there are tons of wild Pokemon there that could severely injure us. We're all stocked up on items, so our Pokemon should be fine. We just need to play it safe and avoid any problem areas." Katrina nodded as Eric concluded his explanation.

"I get it. Always better to err on the side of safety," she agreed. "My concern is running into any Shroomish. The locals have been telling me that Shroomish are capable of killing adults with the spores it scatters."

"It shouldn't matter as long as we avoid any dead areas of the forest," Josh said. "That, and stay off of damp soil. That might be tough, though, 'cuz it rained last night." Both Eric and Katrina nodded.

"Well, if we're all set, let's head out," Eric said. He got up from his seat, Josh following suit, and headed for the door. It was time to make the trek through the Petalburg Woods.

* * *

><p>It was about 9:00am when Eric, Josh, and Katrina finally reached the entrance to Petalburg Woods. Route 104, which included the woods, wasn't big unless you counted Petalburg Woods, but Josh had gone off to look for any new Pokemon in the area. He ended up disappointed, though, as the only new Pokemon on Route 104 was Taillow. When they finally reached the entrance of Petalburg Woods after battling a few trainers and wild Pokemon, they double-checked their items, made sure their Pokemon were healthy, then entered the forest. The trees obscured much of the sunlight, so it was naturally dark in the forest. The ground was also coated in dew from the rain the previous night. Eric took the map out of his backpack and unfolded it.<p>

"Ok, according to this, our path goes slightly to the left to start out with," Eric started. I don't think this map is gonna be much help for immediate areas, though. Do either of you have a GPS or something?" Josh shook his head and Katrina shrugged. "Hmm... maybe the PokeGear has a function like that," he wondered aloud. He took his PokeGear out of his pocket and pressed a few buttons to get to the map feature. After fiddling around with it for a little, he put it away again, sighing and shaking his head. "Darn, guess we're just gonna have to rely on instinct and hope we don't get lost."

"Well, the exit is directly north of here, if I recall correctly," Josh informed Eric. "I think we'll be ok as long as we follow the path."

"Well, we;re not gonna get anywhere by just standing here and dawdling," Katrina said. "Let's go already!"

"Alright, alright. Yeesh," Josh grumbled. Katrina glared at him, but then turned around and began walking along the path. Eric and Josh followed suit. As they walked down their planned path, they encountered a lot of wild Bug-type Pokemon, but they were mostly Wurmple. Katrina didn't hesitate to beat the wild Wurmple with her own Wurmple in the hopes it would evolve into Silcoon soon. Occasionally, they would see wild Silcoon and Cascoon, Wurmple's other possible evolution, hanging between trees as they waited to become either Beautifly or Dustox. In her eagerness to get Wurmple to evolve, Katrina went up to the first trainer she saw and challenged him to a battle.

"Hey, you," she called out to a boy in a blue shirt and black shorts with a large hat on his head. He turned around.

"Me?" he asked.

"Yeah, you," Katrina replied. "You're a trainer, aren't you?"

"Yep. I'm assuming you want to battle, right?"

"You bet. I'm trying to train one of my little guys so I can use it Pokemon Contests. I just hope it evolves right."

"Ah, I bet you're training a Wurmple," the boy said. Judging from the net he was carrying, Katrina deduced that this guy was a Bug Catcher.

"I am, actually," Katrina replied. "I really want a Beautifly for Pokemon Contests."

"Well, I'll see if I can help you along, then. Name's Lyle, by the way."

"I'm Katrina. So, are you ready to battle?"

"You bet! Go, Wurmple!" Lyle tossed a Poke Ball and a Wurmple emerged. "See? I figured you were training a Wurmple 'cuz I train Wurmple myself!"

"I see. Well, let's do this! Wurmple, center stage!" Katrina called. She tossed out a Poke Ball and her Wurmple emerged.

"All right, mirror match!" Lyle exclaimed. "These are always exciting. By the way, two-on-two ok with you?"

"Yeah, that's good,: Katrina answered. "Now, go! Use Poison Sting, Wurmple!" Katrina's Wurmple raised its tail spikes and shot out poisonous needles.

"Wurmple, dodge and use String Shot!" Lyle called. His Wurmple managed to dodge the Poison Sting attack and the shot sticky string from its mouth.

"Avoid it!" Katrina ordered. Her Wurmple crawled to the side to dodge the String Shot. "Now, use Tackle!"

"You use Tackle too, Wurmple!" Lyle commanded. The two Wurmple charged at each other as fast as they could, ramming into each other and taking damage.

"Try using String Shot!" Katrina called. Her Wurmple shot string at Lyle's Wurmple's feet. The string bound Wurmple's tiny feet and restricted its movement.

"Break free, Wurmple! Try using Poison Sting!" Lyle called out. His Wurmple attempted to aim Poison Sting at the ground, but was ultimately unable to. "Darn, I gotta do something!" he said.

"Wurmple, Poison Sting!" Katrina ordered. Her Wurmple shot poison needles from its tail spikes. Lyle's Wurmple took a direct hit from the needles. "Now, use Tackle!" Katrina's Wurmple charged at Lyle's Wurmple and scored a big hit due to the string binding the feet of Lyle's Wurmple. The string broke from the force of the blow, but it didn't matter because the blow had knocked Wurmple out.

"Aw, darn it!" Lyle said as he returned his Wurmple. "Well, one Pokemon left. Go, Cascoon!" The ball opened and a Cascoon emerged.

"Hm, this is one of Wurmple's evolved forms, but it's not the one I want," Katrina said, pulling out the Pokedex to gather data.

"Cascoon, the Cocoon Pokemon. Cascoon is one of two evolved forms of Wurmple. Cascoon's body is made of soft silk which has hardened over time to form a protective shell. This Pokemon never moves because its body would be weak upon evolution if it were to move. It attaches dead leaves to its body to camouflage itself," the voice droned.

"Ok, so, a Pokemon that never moves. This ought to be an easy win. Wurmple, use Poison Sting!" Wurmple shot poison needles at Cascoon.

"Cascoon, use Harden!" Cascoon appeared to gleam a little as it hardened its body to endure the incoming attack. The needles bounced off of Cascoon's hardened body.

"What? The attack just bounced off!" Katrina said, surprised that her attack had failed.

"Harden increases the user's Defense," Lyle explained. "Depending on how hard the Pokemon's body becomes, it can make some attacks just bounce right off, like that Poison Sting."

"Hmm... this'll be tougher than I though,: Katrina mumbled. "Wurmple, Tackle it!" Wurmple charged in and struck Cascoon, but Cascoon's hardened body withstood the attack. Lyle laughed a little.

"None of your attacks are even gonna scratch the surface of Cascoon's body once its used Harden. Guess your Wurmple isn't strong enough to break through," he mocked.

"No, we'll break through eventually. We'll just wear out your defenses,: Katrina shot back.

"Well, try it and see how far you get," Lyle taunted.

"With pleasure," Katrina responded. "Wurmple, Tackle! And don't let up!" Wurmple kept striking Cascoon with Tackle attack after Tackle attack, but Cascoon didn't even budge.

"Give it up, you're never gonna break through my defense!" Lyle laughed. Katrina just kept pressing the offensive, though.

"Wurmple, add in a Poison Sting!" After tackling Cascoon a few more times, Wurmple shot poison needles at it. The attack bounced off again, though. Wurmple then resumed using Tackle. While Wurmple tackled Cascoon, Katrina looked for any signs of the Cocoon Pokemon wearing down. She caught a glimpse of Cascoon's red eyes shudder a little. She narrowed her eyes for a closer inspection and noticed that a poison needle had gotten through and left the Cocoon Pokemon poisoned. Lyle then noticed and panicked.

"Ack! It's poisoned! How did its defenses falter?" he exclaimed incredulously. Katrina smirked.

"See? I told you I'd break through! Now, Wurmple, one last Tackle!" Wurmple charged in and struck Cascoon, this time actually scoring a hit instead of bouncing off of its body. Cascoon flew backwards from the hit. Using the string-like appendages on its body, it righted itself by using trees to support it, but the poison soon proved to be too much to take, and it fainted.

"Gah, how did Cascoon lose?" Lyle said. He returned Cascoon and walked over to Katrina, who was celebrating her victory with Wurmple.

"Wurmple, you were awesome out there!" Katrina complimented her Pokemon. Wurmple made a few sounds of happiness.

"Nice job, Katrina," Lyle said. "I totally didn't expect you to beat Cascoon after I had it use Harden. You're pretty good." He then handed over the prize money Katrina earned by beating him. "Here, take this. It's the prize money for the fight."

"Thanks, I guess," Katrina replied. She pocketed the money and grabbed Wurmple's Poke Ball, but before she could hold it out, a white light bathed the area in its glow. She looked at Wurmple and saw that it was giving off the light. "I... it's evolving, isn't it?"

"Yep, it is," Lyle answered. "I wonder what you're gonna get from it?" The light began to die down as Wurmple's form began to change. The light disappeared and a cocoon-like Pokemon had taken Wurmple's place. It let out a strange sound. It had its back to the trainers, so they went around to get a look at it.

"Which one did it evolve into?" Katrina asked excitedly. Lyle took a close look at the cocoon's eyes to determine which one it was. Its eyes were not fully red like Cascoon's, instead only having red irises.

"Congrats, Katrina. You just got yourself a Silcoon," Lyle said. Katrina quickly pulled out the Pokedex to confirm.

"Silcoon, the Cocoon Pokemon, Silcoon is one of two evolved forms of Wurmple. Silcoon hang from trees using silk as it waits for evolution. It was thought that Silcoon have no way of taking in nourishment, but that had been disproved, as Silcoon drinks rainwater that falls on its silk."

"Oh my gosh, I got a Silcoon! That means I'm gonna get a Beautifly! Yes!" Katrina shouted, elated that she got the Pokemon she wanted after all. She returned her new Silcoon, thanked Lyle for the battle, and took off to where Eric and Josh were waiting. When she got to the tree they were under, the boys got up and congratulated her.

"Awesome job!" Josh said. "And that's so cool you got the Pokemon you were after, too."

"I guess the winds of fortune have decided to blow upon you today," Eric said. :Great job on the battle, and congrats on getting that Silcoon."

"Thanks guys," Katrina said. "Now, why don't we get going again? I'd like to get out of the forest sometime before dark."

"Agreed," both Eric and Josh said at the same time.

"Jinx, joke, you owe me a Coke!" Josh said right as he and Eric finished saying 'agreed'.

"Oh come on, I don't owe you a thing," Eric countered.

"Whatever," Josh said back as they got moving again.

* * *

><p>Further into the woods, the ground was becoming increasingly damp. Eric, Josh, and Katrina were worried that they might run into a dead area filled with Shroomish. They had also been hearing a lot of rustling in the brush as either Pokemon or people were sneaking around. On one occasion, Eric caught a glimpse of a person in the brush trying to use trees for cover. The man was wearing a black uniform of sorts with a big red 'R' on the front. His head was covered by a black hat. He looked awfully suspicious, but didn't appear to be doing anything out of the ordinary except for sneaking around. Eric decided to dismiss it, though, and moved along. He figured this stretch of the trek through the forest was most likely to be uneventful. The group then encountered a man who appeared to be searching for something. Eric approached him first.<p>

"Um, excuse me sir, but are you looking for something?" he asked. The man turned around to face him. He had brown hair, and was wearing a green blazer and black pants. The insignia on his blazer showed that we was an employee at the Devon Corporation.

"Why yes, I am looking for something," the man replied. "I've been looking for a Shroomish for a few days now, but I haven't found one. You see, I'm a researcher at the Devon Corporation. I've been tasked with studying Shroomish. The spores it scatters are highly toxic, but some pharmacists believe that they can be used to create powerful medicines and possibly anti-venom. Devon has asked me to collect some spores so that they can be studied."

"I see. Well, we're actually trying to avoid running into Shroomish 'cuz we've heard the stories of people getting killed by the spores," Eric responded.

"Yeah, that would really suck, inhaling spores from a Shroomish," Josh piped up.

"I see. Well, if you do run into a Shroomish, please tell me so I can collect some spores," the Devon researcher said. With that he turned around and continued his search. Eric, Josh, and Katrina began down the path again, when a sudden rusting in the trees caught their attention. They turned around just in time to see the Devon researcher get apprehended by a man in a black uniform.

"H... hey! What do you think you're doing?" the Devon researcher exclaimed.

"I'm on a mission here, so you'd better cooperate with me," the black-clad man growled. "You have something important on you that I'm to retrieve. So, hand over your research!"

"What? That's not something I can just hand over," the Devon researcher countered.

"Well, looks like I'm gonna have to get rough, then," the black-clad man said. He prepared to punch the Devon Researcher, but was stopped when Eric, Josh, and Katrina arrived.

"Just what do you think you're doing to him?" Eric shouted at the man.

"Yeah, leave the guy alone. He didn't do anything to you," Josh said.

"You kids don't know what you're getting yourselves into," the man said. He turned around, revealing that he had a big red 'R' on the front of his uniform. Eric recognized him as the man he had seen sneaking through the brush before. He instinctively reached for a Poke Ball. "I'm on a mission here. He has something vital to my mission, so I'm here to take it!"

"Well, we're not gonna let you," Katrina said angrily. "You can't just take what isn't yours, you know."

"Ha, you kids are in way over your heads! I'll put you all to sleep!" the man said as he reached for a Poke Ball. "Zubat, get 'em!" The ball opened and a blue bat Pokemon with sharp fangs, purple wings, purple ears, and no eyes burst out. It let out a cry as it prepared to battle.

"I got this," Eric said. He threw the Poke Ball he had reached for. "Rufflet, you're on!" The ball opened and his Rufflet flew out. It squawked as it readied itself. "Can't say I've seen his Pokemon before, though." Eric took out the Pokedex to scan it.

"Zubat, the Bat Pokemon. Zubat are generally found in caves and other places where there is no sunlight. It cannot see, so it emits ultrasonic waves to check for obstacles and to communicate."

"Zubat, use Supersonic!" the man called. Zubat began emitting ultrasonic waves in an attempt to confuse Rufflet.

"Try to dodge, Rufflet!" Eric called. Rufflet took off into the sky and flew high up to avoid the sound waves. "Now, use Peck!" Rufflet dove towards Zubat with its sharp beak pointed towards it. The speed of the fall increased the force of the blow, and Zubat took a heavy hit.

"Give it a Leech Life, Zubat!" Zubat flew close to Rufflet and bit it. Rufflet squawked in pain as Zubat began sucking its blood.

"Get it off of you, Rufflet!" Eric shouted. Rufflet shook Zubat off of it and prepared to strike. "Use Fury Attack!: Rufflet flew at high speed towards Zubat and jabbed it repeatedly with its beak. Zubat sustained many hits, then it hit the ground, unable to regain flight.

"What? That's impossible! How did a lose to a kid?" the man in black exclaimed. He returned Zubat. "Argh, this is bad... my boss is gonna chew me out for this..." He then turned to Eric. "I'll let you off the hook this time, but don't you even think about trying to mess with us again. For the glory of Team Rocket, my mission will be fulfilled in due time!" He took off down the path at that. Eric returned Rufflet as he stared at the now-fleeing Team Rocket Grunt.

"Who was that guy?" he wondered aloud.

"Beats me,: Josh said. "He mentioned something called Team Rocket. I wonder what that is?"

"Hmm... if I recall correctly, Team Rocket is an organization based in the Kanto region that commits Pokemon crimes," Katrina piped up. "They stole Pokemon from trainers, took over big businesses, and committed a bunch of other crimes. I heard they even killed a Pokemon once. It's a truly evil organization. But I thought Team Rocket had disbanded years ago. What was he doing here?"

"Well, if a lackey of Team Rocket is here in Hoenn, than that must mean Team Rocket is planning a comeback here," Eric said. The Devon researcher was listening in on the conversation.

"I don't know exactly why a Team Rocked member would be here, or why he's after my research, but this can't be good. I've got to get back to the Devon Corp. building and warn the president!"

"We'll go with you!" Eric said. "We're headed for Rustboro City anyways, so we might as well get you back to Rustboro safely."

"Oh, thank you so much," the researcher said. "How can I thank you for this?"

"Don't worry about it," Eric replied. "Now, let's go. There might be more Team Rocket guys around here." They then started back along the path towards Rustboro City.

* * *

><p>The group had been traveling the path for quite some time now. It seemed like they weren't going to make it out of the forest before night fell.<p>

"I'm exhausted," Josh complained.

"No time to rest," Eric said. "We gotta keep moving if we're gonna make it out of here before nightfall."

"Fine, I'll shut up about it," Josh said. They continued down the path as dusk slowly began to creep over the forest.

"Hm, not liking the look of this," Katrina said. "I was really hoping to get out of the forest before nighttime, but it looks like that won't be possible."

"Might I say something?" the Devon researcher piped up. The trainers turned to face him. "Nightfall in Petalburg Woods is when most of the Pokemon like to come out, so I think we're going to see an increased presence of all the bugs in the woods and possibly Shroomish." The trainers gulped a bit.

"Not good at all," Eric said. "Come on, we've got to hurry." They all picked up the pace as the darkness slowly crept in. A little further down, Eric noticed they were stepping on a lot of fallen leaves and the ground seemed very moist. He took a quick look around and noticed a lot of dead trees and fallen branches. "Uh, guys, this is bad," he said, a small trace of fear in his voice.

"What's up?" Josh said.

"We've entered a dead zone," Eric said. Josh and Katrina gulped.

"Let's hurry and get out of here," Katrina said, obviously very nervous. As they ran through the dead zone, which seemed to stretch on forever, the forest became darker and darker as night fell. It became much harder to see, so the Devon researcher brought out a flashlight to light the way. They continued running, leaves crunching underfoot. Suddenly, the Devon researcher signaled for them to stop.

"What's the matter?" Eric asked.

"Quiet," the researcher said. A sound was heard from near a dead tree branch. "Did you hear that?"

"Yeah. It came from over there."

"That was a Shroomish making that sound. Be very quiet as you walk past." They began to tiptoe past the spot where the Shroomish was supposedly hiding. As they got past that spot, another sound was heard from the brush. "Oh man, that was another Shroomish," the researcher said. "Forget being quiet, let's run for it!" They began running away from the Shroomish. Faster and faster they ran until they saw an end to the dead zone.

"I see living trees!" Josh said. "Come on, let's go!" Before he could go any further, though, sounds emanated from all around them. "W... what was that?"

"Shroomish," the researcher said. "They've got us surrounded. We must have trespassed on their territory." Sure enough, a whole pack of Shroomish emerged from the bushes. The trainers quickle took out their Pokedexes to figure out their best plan of action.

"Shroomish, the Mushroom Pokemon. Shroomish live in the depths of forests where the soil is most damp. It feasts on composted soil, so it is likely to be seen after rainfall. Shroomish scatter highly toxic spores from its head that make trees and weeds wilt. Inhaling these spores will cause severe pain and poisoning, and have been known to kill even adult humans."

"This is really bad," Katrina said.

"No kidding, Josh said back.

"The Pokedex didn't help much," Eric said. "We might just have to fight back if they attack us."

"Get ready, you three," the researcher warned. Sure enough, The pack of Shroomish attacked. They charged straight at the group.

"Torchic, go!" Eric called, throwing a Poke Ball. It opened and the Chick Pokemon emerged with a cry. "Quick, use Flame Burst to repel the Shroomish!" Torchic shot a ball of fire from its mouth to keep the Shroomish at bay. The fireball hit the ground and it burst, causing splash damage to some of the Shroomish. One Shroomish retaliated by shooting a seed at Torchic. "Burn that seed with Ember!" Torchic shot countless small embers at the seed, burning it up. "Phew, that was close."

"If I'm not mistaken, that was Leech Seed," the researcher stated.

"Good thing I burnt it to a crisp," Eric replied. "Torchic, drive them back with Flame Burst!" A ball of fire shot from Torchic's mouth towards the Shroomish, bursting and causing splash damage. Several of the Shroomish began making angry noises.

"Uh oh, you've angered them," the researcher said. "I think they're about to start scattering spores. Cover your mouth and nose when they do!" Just as he predicted, the Shroomish began to shake, scattering spores from their heads. They all covered their noses and mouths and made a break for it. Torchic cleared a path with Flame Burst, forcing a few Shroomish to move. While running, the researcher held out a jar and captured some of the spores. They eventually reached a clear spot in the forest where they could rest. Tired, they all slumped to the ground.

"Phew, glad we're out of that mess," Josh said while breathing heavily.

"You said it," Eric agreed. "That was a nightmare."

"That was really nasty," Katrina said. "Boy, am I glad we got out of there."

"That was awfully close," the researcher said. "The only upside to this is that I managed to get some spores in this jar so I can finish my research." After catching their breath, they got back up and attempted to get out of the forest. However, Katrina didn't get up. Eric turned back to her.

"What's wrong, Katrina?" he asked. He didn't get an answer, though, because Katrina was crouched down and shuddering. Eric ran up to her. "Are you ok?" No answer. Eric put his hand up to Katrina's forehead to see if she was running a fever. He recoiled as he felt how hot her forehead was. "Yow!" he yelped. "She's burning up! Oh no, I think she may have accidentally inhaled some of the spores!"

"What? This is an emergency!" the researcher exclaimed. "What are we to do?" Eric quickly thought of something.

"I know. Josh, I need you to stay with the researcher and be his bodyguard in case Team Rocket shows up again. I'm going to run as fast as I can to Rustboro City with Katrina and get her to a hospital," Eric explained.

"But, why can't we all go get her to the hospital?" Josh wondered.

"Because a group of our size would ultimately slow us down, and time is of the essence," Eric said. "Plus, we still have to worry about Team Rocket, so it would be best to split up for now. You two take a break for a bit, then get moving soon. As for me, I'll get Katrina to the hospital." Josh nodded, understanding the plan. Eric nodded back. "Don't worry, Josh. Just trust me on this."

"I trust you, Eric," Josh replied. "We're best friends. I've always had your back, and you've always had mine. I completely trust you." Eric smiled.

"I trust you too, Josh. This is why we're best friends, after all. Now, take a short break, but get moving soon. I'll meet you in Rustboro City. Just give me a call on the PokeGear when you get there." With that, Eric scooped up Katrina and carried her bridal-style since there was no room on his back. Eric found that she was quite light, so his speed wouldn't be hindered as much. He took of like a lightning bolt racing through the sky.

"Run, Eric! Run like the wind!" Josh called after him. Eric heard him, but was too far away to reply.

'Run like the wind,' he thought. 'I've got to run like the wind. I am, after all, the Knight of the Wind.' He shifted his gaze downwards and looked at Katrina, who's breathing was becoming short and raspy. "Don't worry, Katrina," he said to her. "I'll get you to the hospital and then you'll be fine. I swear it upon my unofficial title as the Knight of the Wind." Katrina attempted to say something, but her body was wracked with pain, so she couldn't speak. "Take it easy," Eric told her. "I'll get you to the hospital in no time. They don't call me 'Knight of the Wind' for nothing." With that, he bolted into the darkness of night and breakneck speed, "I'll save you. Don't worry. I'm here for you."

* * *

><p><strong>And that's this chapter done! Wow, I did this once quickly, AND its eleven pages long! The idea for this chapter came from me looking at Shroomish's Pokedex entries on and listening to the song used in the Forest Maze in Super Mario RPG entitled 'Beware The Forest's Mushrooms'. So, in this chapter, the gang makes it to Petalburg Woods. Katrina's Wurmple evolves into a Silcoon, the Pokemon she wanted so she could get a Beautifly. Then, they stumble upon a Devon Corporation researcher searching for a Shroomish. A shady guy then apprehends him and demands he hand over his research. After Eric battles him, he reveals that he's a member of Team Rocket. Then, the trainers try to get the Devon researcher out of the forest as fast as possible, but run into the territory of a pack of Shroomish. While they do escape from them, and the researcher gets a jar of spores for his research, Katrina accidentally inhales some spores and becomes gravely ill. Eric takes it upon himself to get Katrina to a hospital in Rustboro, leaving Josh to guard the Devon researcher. Is Eric going to make it in time to save Katrina from the fast-acting poison of Shroomish's spores? Find out next time!<strong>

**Fun Fact: Obviously, the title is inspired by the song 'Beware The Forest's Mushrooms' from Super Mario RPG. I thought it fit well with this chapter since they were constantly trying to avoid areas where Shroomish lurked.**

**The song I mentioned Eric was singing in the previous chapter has been guessed correctly. The song was 'Knight of the Wind' by Crush 40 and from Sonic and the Black Knight. Congrats to sonicboom123456 for correctly guessing it. In case you all hadn't guessed already, 'Knight of the Wind' is going to be Eric's unofficial theme song.**

**Until next time, MasterFreezeman, signing out.**


	6. Run like the Wind

Chapter 5: Run like the Wind

Night had fallen outside the Petalburg Woods. The only light at the north end of the forest came from a flower shop just outside the densely wooded area. Apart from that light, it was almost pitch-black. There were no trainers lining the north end of Route 104 to Rustboro City at this time of night, the perfect cover for sneaky wrongdoers. Some rustling could be heard from the brush lining the sides of the route, and a group of men and women dressed in black uniforms with a big red 'R' on the front stepped out from their hiding spots. One of the men motioned for the group to huddle around him.

"Ok, our orders are simple," the man started. His voice was somewhat gruff. "The lone grunt we sent into the forest to steal the Devon research failed, so we get our chance. Now, either the researcher is still in the forest, or he's gone back to the Devon Corp. building. Our objective is to find the researcher and steal his research. From the lone grunt's report, the researcher is not alone. He's got some brats hanging around him, so we'll have to dispose of them if they get in the way. You got it?" The grunts all replied with a chorus of 'Roger'. "All right, let's get to work. Half of us will head into the forest, and the other half will head into Rustboro." The grunts dispersed, with half of the contingent heading back into Petalburg Woods to search for their target. The other half began to make their way stealthily to Rustboro City; they couldn't be seen or they risked blowing their cover and failing their mission. These Team Rocket Grunts had but one purpose: to fulfill whatever duties their superiors gave them for the glory of Team Rocket. As the Rustboro-bound half of the Rocket Grunt contingent crept their way to Rustboro City, they heard footsteps coming from the southwest. Instinctively, all of the grunts took cover in the brush and trees at the side of the road. Peering out from their cover, they saw what appeared to be the silhouette of a 14-year-old boy with a person in his arms. The boy was running at top speed towards Rustboro City. As the boy sped on by, the grunts slowly crept out of their hiding places. One grunt walked over to the grunt who had assumed control of this unit for the time being.

"Should we go after him?" the grunt asked. The grunt in charge of the unit mulled it over for a minute before responding.

"Nah, leave him be," he said. "He doesn't look like he'll hinder our mission at all."

"Roger that," the grunt said. The contingent began moving stealthily along the roadside again towards Rustboro. Suddenly, a loud snapping sound was heard as a grunt stepped on a twig in his path he couldn't see.

"Shit..." he cursed under his breath. The entire contingent froze in place and looked around to see if anybody had heard, but nobody was in the vicinity of them, so they dismissed it and continued sneaking along.

* * *

><p>Footsteps echoed through the darkness as Eric ran like a lightning bolt towards Rustboro City, carrying a horribly sick Katrina in his arms. After accidentally inhaling spores scattered by a pack of wild Shroomish, Katrina nearly passed out and was scooped up by Eric. Now, Eric was rushing her to Rustboro City to find the hospital. Before that, they had been running from the Shroomish along with Josh and a researcher from Devon Corp. Eric was getting extremely tired from all the running, but he knew he had to keep going, otherwise it was likely Katrina was going to die in his arms. With sweat pouring from his face, he just kept running towards the lights of Rustboro City.<p>

"Whew, I'm getting tired," Eric mumbled to himself. "But... if I stop... Katrina's gonna... no, what are you doing, don't think that way, you idiot... She'll be fine once you get her to the hospital. Just... don't... stop..." Eric had gotten into the habit of giving himself little pep talks occasionally so he would meet whatever goal he was aiming for. This was turning out to be a test of his will and strength. As he ran, he thought he saw something just off to the right. They seemed to be silhouettes of people retreating into the brush. 'Oh great, if those are more Team Rocket losers, they might try to slow me down,' he thought. Regardless, however, he just kept running. He began crossing a bridge over a small lake outside the city, drawing ever closer to it, when he suddenly heard a snapping sound behind him. He didn't bother to look back, but he could've sworn he heard somebody cursing under their breath. Worried that there were Team Rocket minions tailing him, he put in an extra burst of energy and sprinted across the bridge as fast as he could. To any onlooker, it would appear as if he just disappeared into the darkness as he bolted by because of the pitch-black of night. As he neared the end of the bridge, he felt his energy begin to drain more quickly and fatigue start to settle in. 'No... I can't... stop now...' he thought. 'I... have to... save... Katrina.' He suddenly tripped as he caught his foot between two planks of wood. Katrina flew out of his arms and into the air. Eric quickly tucked himself into a ball as he fell towards the grass at the end of the bridge and, in one fluid motion, rolled to recover. Without stopping for even a split second, he was back on his feet and running. He had slowed down just a bit so he could catch Katrina as she dropped from the air, but once she was safe in his arms, he sped up again, bolting towards the city. 'Tonight,' Eric thought, 'the Knight of the Wind shall complete his first true test...'

* * *

><p>Back in the forest, Josh and the Devon researcher had just finished taking a short break and were on the move again, hoping to avoid trouble from any potential Team Rocket members in the area and get farther away from the dreaded Shroomish. Josh was acting as the Devon researcher's bodyguard for the time being, so he continually monitored the surroundings for any activity.<p>

"Nothing so far," Josh told the researcher. "We're in the clear for now."

"That's good," the researcher replied, wiping a little sweat from his brow. "I'd quite enjoy it if we don't run into any more trouble on our way to Rustboro."

"I hear you, man," Josh responded. "I think I've had enough action for one day." Josh and the researcher continued along the forest path as they headed for the exit. Josh continued to look around in case there was any movement or any other activity in the trees or brush. After some time, they came to the exit.

"Ah, it looks like we're almost out," the researcher said.

"Yep," Josh replied. "Come on, let's hurry and get out of here." Before he could go anywhere however, a voice rang out from the trees.

"Stop right there!" the voice called. It was clearly feminine. Josh and the researcher froze and looked around.

"Who's there?" the researcher called back.

"Show yourself!" Josh shouted. The voice laughed mockingly.

"Ahaha! I guess if you're so eager to see us, then we can oblige." At that, around fifteen Team Rocket Grunts jumped up from the brush and surrounded Josh and the researcher. Their supposed leader, another grunt selected to lead this unit, then dropped down from the trees. "Ha! You are completely surrounded and outnumbered. I suggest you comply with our demands, or you could end up getting hurt," the grunt said, her voice laced with venom. Josh simply stood his ground.

"No way. I'm not gonna just back down against a bunch of losers like you!"

"Boy, I'll make you regret that. Attack them!" On command, the other grunts rushed at Josh and the researcher. Josh pulled out a Poke Ball and tossed it.

"Treecko, go!" he called. The ball opened and the Wood Gecko Pokemon burst out. "Treecko, hold them off with Magical Leaf!" Treecko scattered leaves and sent them after the incoming Rocket Grunts. Several grunts went flying backwards with scratches or cuts of varying degrees on their hands or faces. The remaining grunts took out Poke Balls and sent out their assortment of Pokemon: two Ekans, two Zubat, a Poochyena, a Rattata, and a Koffing. "Rats, a bunch of Poison-types," Josh muttered. The lone Koffing began to breathe noxious gases in an effort to defeat Treecko. "Dodge it!" Josh called. Treecko jumped into the trees to avoid the fumes. "Now, Absorb!" Treecko formed an energy field with its hands and aimed it at its foes below, sapping their energy. While the Rocket Grunts' Pokemon were struggling, Josh threw out another Poke Ball. "Zigzagoon, let's get 'em!" The Tinyraccoon Pokemon burst out of its ball. "Use Tackle on that Koffing!" Zigzagoon charged at Koffing and hit it, but the gas-spewing purple sphere didn't seem fazed thanks to its stellar Defense. Realizing that he was fighting a losing battle, Josh ordered for Treecko to use Magical Leaf one more time. Treecko scattered many leaves and sent them at the grunts and their Pokemon. In the confusion, Josh and the researcher bolted. The grunt in charge noticed and barked at the other grunts.

"They're getting away! After them!" she yelled. After returning their Pokemon, the other grunts gave chase. Josh and the researcher ran as fast as they could, Treecko following in the trees, to get away from the pursuing Rocket Grunts. Occasionally, Josh would order Treecko to use Magical Leaf to distract the grunts long enough to increase the distance between them. Before long, they were out of the forest and heading to Rustboro City. The grunt in charge was getting very mad. "Don't let them get away!" she screamed. "They must not reach the city!"

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, just outside Rustboro, Eric was still running like the wind. He had just passed some Berry Trees just off the beaten path and was about to enter Rustboro City. He was huffing and puffing as he passed through the archway that signaled entry into the city. He had put his PokeGear on his wrist like a watch earlier, so he looked at the city map and saw that the hospital was at the north end of town. Frustration began to build. 'Gah, why did it have to be the north end of town?' he thought. 'No matter, I can't fail this...' He picked up the pace and sped off once more, Katrina's life hanging in the balance. Now able to see more than three feet in front of him, he took off towards the north end of the city, passing through empty streets illuminated by the glow of lampposts. Sweat dripped from his face and down his neck as he kept moving, running on fumes now. Before he knew it, the hospital was in sight. He felt a little energy return as he saw the familiar red cross symbol. He quickly looked down to check on Katrina. Her breathing was extremely short and raspy. It looked as if she was on her last legs. Filled with a sense of urgency, Eric sped by faster than an Olympic sprinter. He burst through the large double doors of the hospital, drawing attention from the clerk at the desk and any passing doctors, nurses, and other employees. Breathing extremely heavily, he staggered up to the desk, Katrina still in his arms. The clerk got up from her seat at the desk.<p>

"Can I help you?" she asked the weary Eric.

"Yes..." he started, barely able to speak out of fatigue. He tilted his head down to draw the clerk's attention to Katrina. "She... she's been... poisoned. Shroomish... did it...' A look of alarm spread across the clerk's face.

"Oh no, we have to act quickly. What's the victim's name?"

"Her name is... Katrina... Aeris...' Eric breathed out. The clerk tapped some keys on her computer keyboard, then leaned over to use the emergency intercom.

"Attention, Dr. Westwood, there is a patient out at the lobby. The patient needs your attention now," she stated. She leaned back over. "Don't you worry, Dr. Westwood is an expert on treating these types of emergencies." Eric simply nodded. The double doors to his right opened just then and some paramedics came out wheeling a stretcher. They stopped in front of Eric.

"Lay her down on the stretcher," one of them said. Eric set Katrina down on the stretcher gently. The paramedics then strapped her in and wheeled her back through the double doors. Eric breathed a massive sigh and collapsed into a chair. The clerk then came over to him.

"Are you tired?" she asked. Eric nodded.

"I've been running nonstop for almost two hours," he managed to get out. "I don't know how I even had the energy for that last sprint." The clerk nodded.

"You said it was a Shroomish that got to her?" she asked. Eric nodded again. The clerk wrote something on her clipboard. "Ok, I'm going to need you to fill out a few sections of this form here," She handed the clipboard and a pen to Eric. He filled out the sections he was told to; all he really had to do was sign his name in a few spots. He then gave the clipboard and pen back to the clerk. She accepted them, then walked through the double doors to the right, presumably to pass on the information to the doctor. Eric noticed a vending machine just outside, so he went to it to grab a drink. He came back in with an ice-cold bottle of water. He took a swig of it and a wave of refreshment washed over him. He closed his eyes as the icy water sent a chill through him. He was going to be waiting for a few hours until the clerk said he could leave.

* * *

><p>Back on Route 104, Josh and the Devon researcher were still trying to evade the pursuing Team Rocket Grunts. They were beginning to tire out, and the grunts were very persistent. Soon enough, they found themselves surrounded again. The grunt in charge stepped forward.<p>

"You're finished now," she hissed. "You're done trying to evade us. We are Team Rocket, and we do not let our targets escape. Now, go, Meowth!" She threw a Poke Ball and a cat Pokemon emerged from it. Its fur was mainly an off-white, and its feet and tail were brown. Its ears were black and brown, and it had a gold coin on its forehead. It held a mischievous look in its eyes. "Meowth, Scratch attack!" Meowth leaped at Josh and the researcher with its claws bared. Josh pulled out a Poke Ball and prepared to counterattack.

"Oh no you don't. Zigzagoon, get out there!" He threw the Poke Ball and his Zigzagoon emerged. "Zigzagoon, Tackle it!" Zigzagoon charged at the enemy Meowth. Meowth was caught off guard and took a hit.

"Argh... use Bite!" Meowth bared its sharp teeth and launched itself at Zigzagoon.

"Try Headbutt, Zigzagoon!" Zigzagoon rushed at Meowth and stuck out its head. Both attacks missed.

"Bite again!" Meowth turned around quickly and bit Zigzagoon's tail, causing it to yelp in pain.

"Shake it off!" Zigzagoon tried to shake Meowth off of its tail, but Meowth held on. 'Gah, I gotta do something to get that stupid cat off Zigzagoon's tail...' As he mulled things over, he noticed a glint in the darkness. "Huh? What was that?" he wondered aloud. He got his answer soon enough. A Pokemon was creeping its way towards Zigzagoon and Meowth. It had diamonds for eyes and a purple body, with a red jewel on its body. It had a malicious grin on its face. It drew ever closer to the Pokemon, then suddenly launched itself and attacked, knocking Meowth right off of Zigzagoon's tail. The grunt in charge was shocked to see this unfold. A voice then rang out from the shadows.

"Great job, Sableye," the voice called. The purple creature, now identified as a Sableye, turned around to face the grunt and flashed a malicious grin. The grunt was unnerved. She turned around to the other grunts.

"Retreat! Fall back!" she called. She took off, returning Meowth as she did so. Sableye grinned. The voice from the shadow rang out again.

"Nice work, there, Sableye," the voice said. Someone then stepped out from the trees, illuminated by the glow of a flashlight he was carrying. He wore a t-shirt with the logo of Hollywood Undead on it, black skinny jeans, and a black leather jacket over his t-shirt. The light also illuminated his face. His eyes were a very dark brown, as was his hair, and his pale skin served to make them look even darker.

"Wh...who are you?" Josh asked tentatively.

"Oh, no need to worry about me, I'm not your enemy," the man said. "Drop the tone of fear."

"Uh... ok, but that doesn't answer my question," Josh replied.

"Right, right. The name's Gabriel Owens. As it happens, I am the Rustboro City Gym Leader. And you are?"

"I... I'm Josh Anderson from Littleroot Town."

"Littleroot Town, eh? You've come a long way. My guess is that you're taking the League challenge, am I right?"

"Yep, you're right. I'm aiming for the top. But right now, I've got to get this Devon researcher back into the city and catch up to my friends. We ran into trouble in the forest and were forced to split up."

"I see. Well, allow me to take this researcher back to the Devon Corp. building. As the Gym Leader, I have a clearance to access certain floors of the building. If you don't mind me asking, what sort of trouble did you run into in the forest?"

"Well, we were doing fine up until a guy in a black uniform jumped out at the researcher and demanded he hand over his research. My best friend Eric battled him and won, so he left us alone. We had to get through the forest quickly 'cuz we thought there might be more of those guys in the forest. The guy we beat said he was from Team Rocket. Then we ran into a pack of wild Shroomish..." Josh tried to finish but was cut off.

"I think I know where this is going," Gabriel said. "Somebody you were traveling with inhaled Shroomish spores and had to be rushed to the hospital." Josh nodded.

"That's exactly it. Our other friend, Katrina, accidentally inhaled some spores after we made a break for it, so Eric went on ahead with her to get her to the hospital while we avoided the Team Rocket losers. As you can see, we didn't do a very good job of avoiding them, ehehe." Gabriel nodded.

"I understand. Well, seeing as Team Rocket has left for the time being, I think it would be a good idea for you to take it easy. We're still quite a ways from the city, so I would suggest you pitch a tent and camp out tonight. I'll get the researcher back to the Devon Corp. building when it reopens tomorrow, but I need to get him into the city just in case Team Rocket is still lurking. I hope you come by the Gym and challenge me soon." With that, he went over to the researcher and began escorting him back to Rustboro. Josh just took his backpack off of his back and unrolled a sleeping bag and a mat. He found a spot right under some trees, so he set down the mat and sleeping bag. It had been an extremely long day, so he figured he might as well listen to Gabriel's advice and camp out for the night. He quickly drifted to sleep.

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><p>In the city, Eric was allowed to leave the hospital after answering a few questions. He didn't want to leave at first because he was worried about Katrina, but the doctors assured him that he would find out what was going on in the morning. Eric reluctantly agreed to leave the building. He trudged back towards the Pokemon Center, but then realized that it was too late to even think about getting a room there, so he turned back around and headed for Route 116 to the east of Rustboro. On Route 116, he found a spot near a tree to set up camp. He pulled out a sleeping bag and a mat, unrolled them, and set them on the ground.<p>

'Guess I'm roughing it tonight,' he thought. He got into his sleeping bag and attempted to relax, but he remained restless. He was plagued with thoughts of 'Is Katrina all right?', 'Did I make it in time?', 'What if I was too late?', and 'No, don't think like that, you dumbass.' As he shut his eyes and made a conscious effort to go to sleep, his thoughts continued to bug him. "I don't want to lose you, Katrina," he whispered. It was going to be a long night for Eric...

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><p><strong>That's that for this chapter. So, Eric gets Katrina to the hospital after she accidentally inhaled Shroomish spores, but we still don't know if he was in time or not. Josh and the Devon researcher get chased by Team Rocket, but a new face by the name of Gabriel Owens shows his face and drives Team Rocket away. He reveals himself as the Rustboro City Gym Leader, then escorts the researcher back to Rustboro. Thanks to The Darkness Is Alive for submitting Gabriel. Eric and Josh are now camping out on different sides of the city. Josh went to sleep, but Eric's having trouble, what with Katrina's current state weighing on his conscience. As he attempts to sleep, he utters these words: "I don't want to lose you, Katrina". Poor Eric, having to go through this at such a young age and not even an eighth of the way through his journey.<strong>

**Ok, I'm still looking for some OCs. The slots I need filled are these: Mauville City Gym Leader, Fortree City Gym Leader, Mossdeep City Gym Leader, Sootopolis City Gym Leader, Elite Four #1, Elite Four #2, and three Team Rocket Executives. Please send in some OCs so these slots can be filled.**

**This chapter certainly appears shorter, but it's still around 3600 words (not counting this author's note down here in bold; that would up it to around 4000-ish). I had some other ideas for this chapter, but I canned them, figuring they would be better off used in the next chapter or not at all.**

**Until next time, MasterFreezeman, signing out.**


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